War's Will of Fire, Reflections
by WalkingMaelstrom
Summary: I felt the need to do with what with these two as major players in my main fic. Here is a reflective fic on the NaruHina events before and during the story. Tragedy, heartbreak, and happiness all collide when these two learn of their love for each other
1. Chapter 1

"_What has this war wrought?_" She thought to herself. "_Would things have been different if this had never happened…if the Sound had never attacked? Would I become who I was shaped to be? Would all of this happen? Would I have…would I have him? Would I have won the heart of the man I truly love?_" The questions poured into her brain as she sat on the ruined hulk of a burned-out vehicle watching the crimson sun set upon the clouds in the horizon. The company had stopped within the abandoned town for the night to rest. With the perimeter secured by two other companies, she was given the liberty of sitting and reflecting upon all the events that led up to this moment. With her M1 Carbine in hand, she stroked the wooden stock and felt the weight of the bullets in her rifle. This weapon…this weapon upon which she was given to exact vengeance upon the aggressor, it felt strange in her hands. If she had it her way, she wouldn't have been a soldier. She would've been a nurse, or a teacher, or a beautiful and loving wife to a caring man. Fate had a strange way of tugging at the strings of certain individuals, and she felt she was no difference. She pondered to herself, what provoked her to risk life and limb to barely carry such a man out of harm's way? What caused her to suddenly develop such courage only hours before suffering from a near mental breakdown? While such things would normally keep her guessing, she was fortunate to know what kept her going.

Love. It was love that inspired her to do such things. She felt selfish at times and even acknowledged it was the love for him that caused her to be so reckless, but in the end there wasn't a moment of regret. Her sergeant could've punished her or the lieutenant could've relieved her of whatever position she might have had even as a private, but she knew she did the right thing. She remembered the words coming from his lips as he lay there bloodied from the explosion at Kumogakure.

"_Hmmmm…am I dead? Are you…are you an angel?_" He said. "_An angel…_" She sighed in adoration. "An an-angel…he thought I w-was an angel."

She felt a warm hand upon her shoulder. Naturally she jerked while in her state of daydreaming.

"Hey…it's ok." That voice, that warm and familiar voice. It brought a comfort to her heart. "You're still jumpy from me I see."

"Oh…no it's…it's ok. I w-w-was just…"

"Daydreaming again huh?" He smiled as he took his hands to massage her scalp, satisfyingly running his hands through her long streaks of hair. His hands were dirty, her hair frazzled and worn, but nevertheless he still treated it like the hair of a princess.

"Yeah…um…yeah s-silly isn't it?"

"No…it's ok. I know what you were dreaming of. It's nice to feel appreciated for a change."

She smiled even more as she felt his arms around her now. "It's ok.

"I cannot believe that I took this long to realize you all this time. Can you forgive me?"

She snickered softly. "Of c-course I w-will. It's ok. Af-after all…I love you…Naruto."

"Hinata…"

"Where did it all begin…Hinata? Where did it all start for you? What made you fall for such a knucklehead like me?"

"I…I cannot p-pinpoint where exactly. I guess…s-since we were kids."

"Kids?"

"Yeah. I guess you just n-never saw it Naruto."

"Yeah…I guess I was. Too busy hangin' around Shikamaru and the rest huh?" She hummed in agreement but she bore no offense to it. "All those years ago…"

"I know."

"It felt like an eternity Hinata."

"The months…they…they feel like an eternity Naruto."

"Sad but true."

"We were on the p-p-playgrounds. I would um, sit there…I would…see you. Sometimes you w-w-were with Shikamaru and Choji. I'd watch you p-play and smile. I'd smile too. S-s-sometimes I'd see yo-you by yourself looking f-f-f-for a friend. I sat alone too…af-f-fraid to come up to you and b-be that friend."

The words made Naruto raise an eyebrow. "Hinata…"

She smiled and nuzzled up to him. "It's ok, N-Naruto. It was never y-your fault."

He felt slightly nervous. "Then…then you'd have to forgive me?"

"Forgive you?" She was puzzled. "For…for what?"

"Ignoring you, Hinata. It wasn't malicious ignorance by no means. I guess I was just so…wrapped up in the moment since I was a child and being saved from a more miserable life."

"Naruto." She whispered out. She knew what he was talking about. Life for him was hard as an orphan. Coming from a rich family like hers, Hinata lived the sheltered life. There were people to care for her and she had everything a little girl could want. Of course, the biggest things lacking were recognition and love.

"But hey, you had the same rough patch in life. It's funny don't ya think? A big-shot city girl like you and a slum orphan like me…both in the same boat."

She gripped his hands and then crawled them up his sleeves. She could feel the grit between her fingers and the dried blood and sweat on his skin, but she didn't care. He felt a slight tickle but smiled from it. "Naruto, you c-c-could have b-been my ne-, my next door neighbor or the orph-, the orphan you were…b-but it wouldn't have mattered to m-me."

"Ya know…even though you did confess to me how you felt in all this, I still couldn't help but wondered even at such a young age how you were so into me and I was too blind to see it?"

"Oh…well um…" She paused for a second letting Naruto tighten his hold on her but with a surreal tenderness not expected of him.

"Nah ya know what? Forget it…we don't need to dwell on the past…do we?"

She paused. That pause which was meant to last just a second or two extended itself into minutes, yet there was no awkwardness, just the two of them taking in the sun setting and setting the clouds ablaze with orange hues.

She took a deep breath. "Confidence."

He snapped out of his trance. "Huh…wha?"

"It was con-confidence, Naruto." She took another deep breath, trying to fight her chronic stutter. "It's what, what you had and I always…wanted Naruto. Confidence. We had r-r-r-rough lives and," she cleared her throat in frustration, once again trying to fight her stutter, "yet, we reacted s-s-so differently." Again she tried to cut herself off from stammering. Ever since she was a child and her fellow comrades Sakura, Ino, Tenten, Shikamaru, Kiba, and other have noticed, she always had a stutter and a rather debilitating one at that. There were very few times that she could recall losing it, mostly because she never noticed it being too strung up on something else. The most vivid moment though…was her epiphany with Shikamaru and Choji as witnesses.

"Hinata…I…"

"Naruto, it was your confidence in everything, no…ahem…no matter the situation, good or bad, happy or depressing, that could bring you down. You were always so…determined. Life was…so hard for you as an orphan."  
He chuckled. "Hinata…please don't feel sorry for me. It wasn't that bad for me."

"No Naruto. I know it was. I had everything. You had little. I wanted what you had…determination, confidence, a soul. I was always meek and tim…tim…timid."

"Not true Hinata." She was caught slightly off-guard. "You weren't always that. Don't say that. I've seen you in moments as a child."

She closed her eyes and remembered herself at age ten. History class was the subject for today. She remembered the teacher walking through and everyone staring with attentive minds…save for Shikamaru who was typically napping.

"Good morning children."

"Good morning Mrs. Matsuda!"

"All right…for today's history class…we'll be learning about," she wrote the next lesson in big white letters, "The Great War!"

Some of the boys were rather excited while others like Ino were less than enthused. Hinata looked over three desks to the left and saw the great smile of Naruto Uzumaki. She sighed in adoration.

"The Great War was a terrible time fifteen years ago. Historians debate how it actually started, but the spark was the assassination of one of the closest family members of the Raikage. Soon afterwards they sought an alliance with the Sound Nation and several others. The Water Nation, Earth Nation, and Sand Nation formed their own alliance, Konoha doing its best to stay neutral and not drag itself into conflict. Choji, how about you read the next excerpt for us?"

"Ok." He flipped through the pages. "The Great War was primarily fought in the system of trench warfare. Rows upon rows of dug trenches littered battlefields with very little ground being taken. Many armies would attempt to rush the lines only to find themselves in the targets of a terrible invention, the machine gun."

"It was a dark and terrible time class. Many of the adults you see today were veterans of the Great War." Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. He and several others including Choji had fathers who served. They never heard the stories from their mouths but they got the idea that it was nothing to relish.

The teacher prattled on about the actual history of the war while the children flipped through their pages. It spoke of the Sound provocations upon Konoha's ships and borders and how eventually they were called to war and for a brutal year and a half defeated the Sound and their allies. Naruto was brimming with excitement reading about the action, but like a typical ten-year-old, completely ignorant to the pain and misery it wrought.

"Ok, who wants to read the next vignette?" Naruto raised his hand as high as it could. "Let's see…ah! Mr. Uzumaki, would you care to read it for the class?"

"Sure!" He pressed his index finger on the small inset with a photo. "Lieutenant Minato…Namikaze…was assigned to the 2nd Konona Infantry Battalion of the 4th Infantry Division. While assaulting a Sound-occupied position, he and his platoon encountered heavy enemy fire. His company already suffering losses, he bravely withstood enemy fire and flanked the machine gun positions with one squad and himself. When it was all clear, Lieutenant Namikaze ordered his platoon to hold the line against two vicious Sound counterattacks, both repelled with machine guns and grenades. The fighting lasted over ten hours but when the smoke cleared, his platoon had held off nearly an entire company of Sound soldiers, almost four times his unit's size. Namikaze had sustained three wounds and lost only six of the forty soldiers under his command. He was awarded the Konoha Distinguished Service Cross and was a true inspiration to the Leaf Army during the war."

Many of the children ooooohed and aahhhhhed in amazement. Naruto himself closed the book and stood up on his chair, startling a few including Hinata. "That's what I'm going to be…a bonafide hero! If the Sound ever attacked again, I'd be out there on the front lines! I'm gonna be a war hero like Lieutenant Namikaze and get the Medal of Honor! Believe it!"

Most of the students just laughed at him and his stupidity. Shikamaru just scoffed and put his head down to get some sleep while Sakura just shook her head at him in disapproval. Hinata though…she smiled. She wished she could be as optimistic and ambitious as him.

She then pictured herself at recess, looking down at her feet. She looked at both her arms, small and somewhat frail, and then looked up to see a throng of children running around in play. The squeals and shouts merged into harmony as she sat there on one of the blacktop curbs. The sun was out and a slight wind kept everyone cool from the lack of shade. As the sun beat down on her short purplish hair and her light skin, she sighed watching the majority of the kids play kickball, while others like Ino and Sakura were playing jump rope and hand slap games.

She had been sitting there for around twenty minutes, just musing on her loneliness and watching the kids play kickball. One in particular was the object of her attention, a feisty and loud blond kid with a grin as wide as his face but clothes filthy and somewhat worn. He had just nailed the rubber ball and proceeded to run the bases. Choji had given him a pat on the back in celebration. She sighed with a slight smile on her face…that is until he noticed her.

"Eeeep!" She shied her head away from him.

"Hinata? Hey Hinata…" she could hear his footsteps approaching, "whaddaya doin' sittin' here by yourself?"

"N-N-N-N-Na-Na…" She was so petrified. "Nnnnnnnna-na…"

He chuckled. "Yes, Naruto…that's my name. Wow you are shy." She blushed. "Anyway, we're playin' kickball and we just lost one on my team…you want in?"

She was speechless. "Y-y-you want mmm…mmmm…mmme?"

"C'mon Naruto…burnin' daylight here! Why are you askin' the Queen o' Shy? She probably couldn't kick the ball even if it was standing still." Kiba's comment was met by laughter making Hinata shy away even more.

"Ah put a sock in it!" He yelled back. "C'mon Hinata…I'll show you."

"B-but…" Before she could come up with an excuse Naruto yanked her up and guided her by the hand. She turned beet red when he felt his touch. "_He's…he's holding my hand!_" The two of them were met with glares from half the players including Tenten and Kiba. Shikamaru just stood there apathetically but Hinata saw Choji's welcoming smile and felt slightly better.

"Here I'll show ya. You stand right here behind home plate," he instructed pointing to a chalk drawing of home plate, "and when the right moment comes you nail it as hard as possible with your foot ok? Simple right?"

"Y-y-yeah…ssssssimple." She was shaking all over.

"First base is the cone right there, second base is the milk crate, and third base is the box. When you hit it…run as fast as you can! It's all about timing!"

"You're wastin' yer time Naruto." One of the kids whined.

"Ah shaddup…everyone's good at something if they keep at it! You can do it Hinata. Believe it!"

Choji stepped up. "All right let's pay another round before recess is over. Hinata, how about you go first?"

"Umm…"

"Sure!" Naruto gave her a light pat on the back. "Let's see you nail it!"

Kiba laughed again. "This should be good." He sent one barreling down the line as the rest of his team got into formation. Hinata yelped in panic and turned allowing the first strike. The opposing team all laughed.

"It's ok Hinata!" Naruto kept clapping. "Try it again! Kiba stop being a jerk!"

Kiba bowled it again and Hinata tried to wind up…but the chuckles from everyone around her made her freeze in her tracks, strike two.

"Oh man…great addition to your team Naruto!" Tenten mocked.

"Shut up! She's trying to kick!" He hissed back. "You can do it Hinata!"

"I c-c-can d-do it. I can d-d-dddd-do it…" She whispered to herself. Kiba sighed and rolled her a slow one. She wound up and swung at it with all her might. However…she missed. It was strike three. Again the opposing team members were holding their sides.

"What a joke!"

"This game's in the bag with players like her!"

"Some skill there Hinata…you should go back to sitting alone watching people play instead of humiliating yourself."

"Hey shut up!" Naruto again screamed as Hinata shed a couple tears and tried to walk off before he stopped her, totally humiliated by her performance. He turned to her and wiped a tear off. "Don't cry, don't give them what they want. Hinata…you did ok. You're just…rusty. Yeah that's it…rusty! Just keep trying Hinata! That's what I always do."

She sniffled. "N-N-Naruto…"

"C'mon you have more chances. Let's keep playing."

For eight more rounds Naruto's team including Hinata played on. Sadly, every time Hinata would come up to the plate she'd either strike out or ground out. The other team continued their jeering and tried to drive her to the brink of tears again, but Naruto wouldn't grant them that satisfaction. He'd cheer and he'd encourage her as best as he humanly could for a ten-year-old. Because of him, because of his compassion and determination, she wouldn't cry. The situation was tense. Kiba's team was ahead by a run and there was Naruto on second with two outs. The last person up who could possibly score for the team was…Hinata.

"Yeah Hinata! Bring me home!" Naruto yelled in enthusiasm.

"Oh great…another automatic out." Kiba chortled. "C'mon fellas bring it in. She can't do a thing."

"Don't listen to them Hinata."

"HINAAAAATAAAAA…HINAAAATAAAAAA…HINAAAAAATAAAAAA!" The whole infield and outfield chanted this to get into her head. Kiba rolled it and she missed for strike one.

"Keep the chant going team! She has no chance!"

"It's ok Hinata…drown it out!" Naruto screamed above the chanting.

"N-Naruto." She muttered. She swung her leg at the ball but clipped it for a foul. Strike two.

"This is it…game over people!" Kiba arrogantly declared. "So…ready to go back to the curb and mope?"

"Do it Hinata! I have confidence in you Hinata!" Naruto said with all the pride he could muster. While the other teammates looked forlorn, he kept that smile on his face, the same smile that warmed Hinata's heart.

"C-c-c-co-confidence…in m-m-me?" Hinata looked at him as he nodded back. She turned her nervous look into a fierce glare towards Kiba. She wouldn't let herself be a failure, even if it was a simple game of kickball.

"Strike three comin' at ya!" Kiba sent it flying down the line, but Hinata wouldn't let it pass.

With a fierce scream and a mighty swing, she nailed the ball right on the sweet spot. It went flying over the fielders who went in. Shikamaru stood with mouth agape on the sidelines as did his best bud Choji. Naruto watched it fly over the head of Tenten and bounce near the chain-link fence. As he turned to Hinata he whispered one word.

"Run."

And run she did. As Naruto crossed home plate she was already at second, pumping her little legs as fast as she could with her heart going a mile a minute. She didn't bother to check the ball in flight towards Kiba. She could only fix her gaze on the boy waiting for her at home plate. She rounded third and was halfway to home. Kiba had the ball primed and launched it.

Naruto watched it fly to her. "Hinata…look out!"

However, she just kept moving on. By luck or by the grace of God, the ball almost grazed her shoe as it slammed into the pavement and bounced off. She made it…she was home safe. She won the game.

Naruto rushed up to her as she nearly fell over from exhaustion, the boy grabbing her before she fell. "HINATA! Hinata that was amazing! You got me home! You won the game for us!"

"I…I did?" She turned to see several others including Shino, Shikamaru, and Choji all cheering for her.

"You did all right! I told you Hinata…you attack anything with confidence and you'll win! I told you you'd get it in no time!"

She smiled while trying to catch her breath. "Naruto…"

The bell rang which meant recess was over. With a collective groan the students filed back inside to return to their scholastic duties.

"Well I gotta run Hinata. Good job though…you can be on my team any day. Believe it!" He patted her shoulder and ran off to the door where he was trying to get in between Ino and Sakura, most likely to talk to her.

She just stood there, overcome with joy and new feelings as he faded into the hallway. She clutched her chest and no longer felt the urge to cry or anything. She felt something rare in her…pride, pride thanks to that boy. "Naruto…thank you."

"See?" Naruto convinced her with that same grin she remembered from that far back. "You always had it in ya."

"Hnn…" She muttered out. She wondered how she could forget such moments while he could. "You had such confidence Naruto."

"Honestly I think it was just all about timing. You can't look at me and say it hasn't happened. And besides, I remember when you've bailed me out of jams too."

"Wha?"

"Yeah. Of course I apologize wholeheartedly when I considered it more a gesture of kindness than how you really felt. You know how I am."

She laughed weakly. "Yeah…that I do. You did so much more for me though…"

Again she remembered herself at boot camp. She remembered sloshing through the mud and her lungs burning with fatigue. It was her second month there and she had failed to win anyone's approval so far. They were running drills with their practice Garand rifles in the obstacle course and the clouds looked like they were promising rain.

"Faster, privates!" The drill sergeant screamed at the top of his lungs. Standing astride from him was a rather fit looking woman no older than thirty with the same fiery look on her face. "God damn it hold that rifle the correct way you bumpkin sum'bitch!"

"Those Soundies are gonna have fun chewing you to pieces if this is what passes for Leaf soldiers! I don't care…I'm doin' my job…you're all not." The female joined in garnering a laugh from the first drill sergeant.

Hinata could barely keep her hemlet on as she struggled to keep up with the likes of Sakura and Kiba. Hell the only one having trouble like her was Choji but he was slimming down at an alarming rate. Shikamaru kept a normal pace seeing how effort was troublesome for him. Naruto meanwhile led the pack as determined as ever to win the favor of the drill sergeants and on a more selfish note Sakura. Sakura had been seen cavorting with a corporal from another training company but he paid no heed to it.

"That's some fancy footwork there Private Uzumaki. I like what I see!"

The female drill sergeant took her attention out on the women respectively. "Ain't in the fuckin' cheerleadin' squad anymore huh Yamanaka? Get your ass moving before I rearrange your face! And you! Hyuga…God damn it did the Lord destine you to be a failure? You will be six feet under by the time you pass this if you even pass it at all!"

"S-s-s-sorry d-dri…"

"T-t-t-today Hyuga!" She mockingly hissed back. "The fuck is it with that stutter? It's been months and you still can't stop being a little baby! Get over that barrier!" Hinata struggled to run but she managed to climb over the railing…barely. "Pick up the pace!"

The lot of them had reached four low trenches with barbed wire underneath. To the side there were .30 caliber gunners blazing away as to simulate battle.

In between pauses the bigger drill sergeant spoke up. "Get low, move fast, and you stay alive privates! This is a fundamental in war! The Soundies are good at what they do. We intend to be better. For us to be better, you have to fucking listen and not get yourself shot!"

Naruto sped through the trench along with Kiba and Shino waiting for the rest of the group. Hinata snagged herself on a piece of barbed wire but pulled free before the instructors took notice.

The next and final obstacle was the rope swing. In front of them lay a thick pool of mud just waiting for clumsy privates to fall right into. Most of them had swung onto the dry ground with relative ease.

"You're not beating me Kiba!" Naruto panted.

"Yeah…the hell I ain't! I'm the fastest fucker here!"

As the two of them raced towards the end, Naruto couldn't help but notice a shriek followed by a small splash. Hinata had made it but her lower half had slipped completely into the mud, her rifle lay on the ground next to her as she struggled to get up. No one else had seemed to notice except him. Choji hadn't even seen it. Shikamaru didn't care that much and Kiba was too focused on winning.

"Get up Hyuga! Get up!" Hinata struggled and wheezed. The drill sergeant lightly kicked her arm. "I said g-g-g-get the fuck out of that mud you stuttering reject!" With all her might Hinata gripped on the grass and pulled herself, but she was too tired, her muscles burning in agony. "Sweet baby Jesus Private Hyuga you are a human train wreck! It is some cosmic mystery that you were not ABORTED in your mother's womb. If you cannot get yourself out of that mud then you cannot get yourself out of the failure you have created for yourself."

Hinata couldn't bear it…she started to break down.

"Oh what the fuck is this…are we going to cr-cr-cr-cr-cry now Hyuga? Fucking cry then! Know that you are nothing but a pathetic excuse of a human being wasting what precious time the Lord gave me on this planet!"

Naruto stopped. His heart pounded not just from the exhaustion but the infuriation caused by seeing this poor girl abused so viciously. "Fuck this race…" He sped backwards to Hinata.

"Uzumaki! The finish line is that way you idiot!" The other drill sergeant yelled.

"You giving up Naruto?!?" Kiba was shocked to see him just turn and run the other way, completely ignoring the competition.

Hinata had her face in the mud, feeling the tears and her hair mix with the dirt, the incoming raindrops spattering her in the back. She couldn't bear to see the drill sergeant yelling at her. However, she heard a faint voice calling her name. Before she knew it she felt two strong hands gripping her at the elbow.

"C'mon Hinata. I'm getting you outta here. You're finishing this, with me."

"Let her go private." The drill sergeant sternly said. "Don't waste your time on the weak."

"She's not weak, drill sergeant. She's strong. She's just tired."

"You're a soldier, not a fucking comedian. Don't make me laugh."

He got close to Hinata's ear. "Don't let this woman have the satisfaction of being right when she's clearly wrong. I'm getting you out of this mud. Now hold on to my arms."

She gripped them as tenaciously as she could. "Naruto…"

"Now I want you to use as much strength as you can. On three…one…two…THREE!" With a sucking noise Naruto had pulled her out and she was back on solid ground. "There ya go…ya just got in a sticky situation. The same thing would've happened if I were down there."

She closed her eyes and didn't say anything. She just let the rain wash her tears away on her face. The drill sergeant just stood there, not knowing really what to do since it was likely she had never seen such dedication to someone she considered a weakling.

"Here. Grab it. It's yours." She opened her eyes as she felt the wooden stock of her rifle back in her hands. Naruto had picked it up from the ground.

"N-Naruto…" Her soulful grayish eyes were still glossy.

The drill sergeant snapped out of her trance. "HEY! No fucking Kodak moment here! Get to the finish line now!"

"Let's go then Hinata." Naruto grabbed her by the arm and sped along. She could barely keep up but waiting for her was the rest of the training platoon. She could feel their inner laughter or disgust, but that face, that one determined and happy face…it was that which kept her from breaking down again. Meanwhile he smiled to the group and tried to get Sakura's attention. He got nothing.

"Finally!" The big sergeant spoke up. "You privates aren't as slow and retarded as I thought…at least most of you. Now double-time it back to the barracks. Weapons inspections afterwards am I understood?"

"Yes drill sergeant!" They all yelled before running back.

The rain fell pretty hard around them but there they stood in formation, rifles held up and faces like stone. The rain had also conveniently washed the mud off of Hinata, but like the others they were still sopping wet.

"Platoon…attention!" In uniform they snapped. "Right shoulder…arms!" Again with precision they adjusted the Garand rifles to their shoulder. Though the entire line the drill sergeants walked through. Hinata stood there in rank…right behind Naruto. She reflected on how he was the only one to help her.

"Port…arms!" The formation opened up the bolts of their rifles letting the sergeants inspect them. When the command was given they snapped them back, yet Naruto's wouldn't snap but the powers that be hadn't noticed. He felt he'd rather fix the problem inside.

"That wasn't bad for a bunch of rookie privates still wet behind the ears and cherries unpopped!" The big drill sergeant yelled through the sound of falling rain. Uncouth as it was, it didn't phase his lady companion one bit. "Weapons maintenance after this formation followed by inspection. I expect everything to be to standard. Fall out."

Everyone rushed back inside where they just plopped on their foot lockers, still in uniform until the inspection was over.

"Oh man…my dogs are barkin'." Kiba moaned as he reclined while disassembling his rifle.

"Preachin' to the choir dog boy." Sakura muttered soon afterwards.

Naruto quickly disassembled the rifle and tried to get it back together…but the bolt was still stuck. "What the hell…? What the hell is wrong with this damn rifle?" He inspected it and his eyes widened like a scared pup. "Oh fuck…oh fuck…"

"What's up Naruto?" Shikamaru asked.

"My operating rod. Where the fuck is it?" He searched all around, above and below his bunk, around his foot locker, on the halls. Nothing. "Oh God…it's not outside is it? Please don't tell me it's outside."

"Nnnnaruto…" Hinata softly stuttered but wasn't heard by him as he was panicking. With quick thinking, she shuffled her rifle around.

"All right! Inspection time!" The drill sergeant swung through the door. "Get those things assembled pronto!"

"Oh fuck…oh fuck…"

"Naruto…" She finally got his attention as she held out a dull object. "Take it."

"Hinata?"

"Take it…p-p-p-please."

"No…I can't. That's your piece. You'll get in even more trouble."

"N-n-n-no…please t-take it. I d-don't wwwwwan't to see you in t-t-tr-trouble. You helped me…"

"Hurry up privates!"

"Please…"

"Hinata…" He reluctantly grabbed the operating rod from her and within twenty seconds had his Garand back in full assembly. Meanwhile Hinata stood there with a satisfied smile, knowing full well the hell she would be put into but she wanted to reciprocate what he did for her.

Meanwhile the sergeants inspected the rifles with surprising approval. "Uzumaki, your rifle." He snapped to and gave it to them. Inspecting it carefully, they simply nodded and walked to Hinata who made it known she had a problem.

"Hyuga…what the fuck is this? Where is your operating rod?"

"I…I don't kn-know drill ser…"

"What the fuck do you mean you don't know? Are you weak and stupid Hyuga?"

"I-I'm sorry. It mmmmust've dropped ou-outside the b-b-barracks."

"Private," the woman approached her, "you get your ass out there right now and you find it or you will feel the wrath of what seems like fucking Lucifer himself! GET OUT…NOW!"

"Drill sergeant…" Naruto tried to speak up.

"What? What is it private? Actually…since you felt the need to help that piece of crap out, how about you go out and help her find it? If you don't, both your asses are mine!"

He simply nodded as he handed his rifle off to Shino. There he saw Hinata on her knees, searching for the operating rod of Naruto's Garand.

"Hinata…why did you do that?" He slowly went down the steps and squatted next to her. She was silent and kept to her duties, the rain soaking her once more. "Hinata I asked you something. Why did you do that?"

"Because…I owed you. You helped me from failing." She didn't stutter. That threw Naruto way off.

"Hinata, an obstacle course and a fucking rifle part are two different things. You cannot equate." She again said nothing except for a grunt when the cold sent a shiver up her spine. "But…thank you. That took serious guts Hinata and you got me out of a pickle. But we're both screwed you know that right?"

"But…we can still try. You never stop-pp-ped trying r-right?" The words were fired right back at Naruto. He paused for a moment and saw a girl who took his words to heart.

He smiled. "You're right Hinata. Let's at least look for it."

She nodded and for the next fifteen minutes they searched far and wide, but alas there was nothing. His heart raced knowing he'd be definitely punished hard for losing an integral piece to his rifle.

The door swung wide open. "You found that fuckin' piece yet privates?"

"No…no drill sergeant." Naruto said disappointingly.

"Front-leaning rest…now." She just stood there as the both of them did pushups in the pouring rain with no one watching. "You're already on my shit list Hyuga…and you Uzumaki, your stupidity is slowly getting yourself there too! If you don't find that I will make you both rue the day you were born. Keep fucking pushing."

Naruto growled which was grossly misinterpreted as disrespect to the drill sergeant. Her eyes lit up and in one swift motion Naruto received a nice kick to the stomach. He gurgled a bit as he fell to the wet ground. Hinata just stayed put…wide-eyed and shaking.

"You sass me again boy and I'll cut your fucking tongue off! Get back to finding it…the both of you!" She stormed off and soon afterwards her companion did the same, saying nothing as he glared at the two of them.

Naruto was still wheezing a bit.

"Naruto!"

"No…it's ok Hinata. I'm ok. Wind got knocked outta me…that's all. C'mon…let's continue."

Hinata retracted her hand from Naruto's back and nodded in agreement. Another thirty minutes passed and still…nothing.

"Shit…this is hopeless. I'm screwed Hinata. I'm really screwed. I'm so sorry." It concerned Hinata greatly that he became so despondent even if he hadn't completely given up searching.

"N-nothing is hopeless Naruto…y-y-you told mmm-mme that."

"But with this Hinata…I don't know…"

Another fifteen minutes…still…nothing.

"Damn it. It's getting dark. If the drill sergeants come and we've got nothing we're both in for it. Oh man…I've gotta tell them you gave that to me."

"No Naruto. D-don't do that. I w-w-wanted to help you."

"But I don't want someone like you, someone as innocent as you, to suffer any more. I don't want you to feel worthless and I'll be damned if you get treated even worse on my account." Those words struck a chord with Hinata, but she remained steadfast in her decision.

"No Naruto…I ssssstand by mmmmy action."

"Hinata…"

"PSSSST!" A voice emerged out of nowhere followed by a whistle.

"Who's there?" Naruto said out loud. Out of the shadows emerged a man who simply stuck his open palm out. In his hand lay a Garand operating rod…the exact piece they couldn't find.

"It's…it's a…"

"Got it from the armory. There's literally a pile of them. Take it…Naruto, and you tell no one about this you got that? The last thing I want is for you and this sweet girl to fall so late in the game." The man said sternly. "Not a soul…you got that? And thank that girl. I heard what she said and what she did…she bailed you out of a jam big time. In theatre, she might just do the same thing again."

"Y-y-yes sir." He nervously took the piece but smiled, as if he knew this man. Hinata was clueless but felt relief knowing someone, like a guardian angel, came down and helped them.

"Good. Take care Naruto…Private Hyuga." And with that he walked back into the shadow and around the buildings.

"N-Naruto…whhhho was th-that?"

Naruto just smiled as the rain trickled down his face. "A man I know…a good man, one who looks out for me."

"Oh…"

"C'mon. Let's get back inside. I don't want you to get sick now."

"Yes…of c-course."

"Hey Hinata," he paused as he stopped to place a hand on her shoulder. "Thank you. You're cooler than I had thought. You're someone I could really like one day."

She blushed wildly. "_He said…really like…_"

Inside they were met by curious looks save for Shikamaru and Shino who just stuck with their duties. The sight of Naruto with the operating rod in his hand created a sigh of relief amongst them.

"Oh thank God…I thought Hinata was gonna get us all killed." One of the privates said.

"Hey." Naruto stopped him. "It wasn't her fault all right?"

"Then whose was it?"

"Don't worry about it. She didn't do a thing."

The drills sergeants came back and were shocked to see Hinata with her operating rod. They didn't know how she found it, but she did. Alas it didn't spare her from the dreaded task of all sorts of stereotypical army chores as punishment along with a revoking of weekend pass, but she took it in stride. She knew that she had spared a man she cared about from the same fate.

The weekend off had come but she was confined to the barracks. She in fact was the only one. The solitude was a little unsettling but oddly at the same time she felt calm. There were no eyes glaring at her. There was no feeling of failure or rejection. She just lay in her bed and enjoyed the extra sleep, reflecting on what had transpired before and what he said to her after that whole mess. She still wondered who that man was that bailed the both of them out. Judging by Naruto's reaction, it was someone very close to him. She arose from her bed and noticed two large buckets, one completely empty and the other filled with none other than potatoes…the classic Leaf Army punishment. A note was attached with the basic "do it or else" statement from the drill sergeants. Before she went to the buckets she noticed Naruto's bed a complete wreck She walked over.

"Hmmm…maybe h-he'll notice." With the utmost attention to detail, she spent a good fifteen minutes dismantling his bunk and meticulously folded and tucked in every single piece of linen on the bunk. She had it so tight

With a long sigh she picked up the knife and buckets and went outside.

Sitting there alone and peeling, she remembered doing this when she would cook. She prided herself on her culinary skill and loathed what the service passed for food. She would make the most of her chore though, slowly stripping the skins away and plunking the spuds in a bucket.

"Naruto." She whispered to herself. "I hope y-you're enjoying y-your p-p-pass. It isn't sssso b-bad for me here. I c-can think off all th-the nnn-nn-nice things you've done f-for me. But…y-you're prob-b-bably out trying to g-get Sakura…" She sighed again. She knew Naruto was pining for the pink-haired wonder girl. Hell she knew that since they were kids. It struck her as odd considering how Sakura seemed not only uninterested in Naruto in that manner, but also because she was already in a relationship with a fellow soldier, Sasuke Uchiha. Maybe that blind determination and/or the stubbornness she had seen in Naruto for at least a decade was the driving factor behind him.

"Th-then again…a l-lot of the guys w-want Sakura…except for m-maybe Sh…maybe Sh-Shikamaru. He never cares." She chuckled a bit as she tossed another potato in the bucket, the metallic plunk again reminding her she was nowhere near done. "He's…so strong…an-an-and brave. Everythhhhhing I'm not."

For a whole hour she just sat there with not a soul around her…peeling away. Her hands were getting tired but she still kept at it, daydreaming about Naruto while lamenting the reality that he was totally oblivious. She had gotten through a third of the potatoes, yet so many remained. She was calm but that didn't mean she was happy.

"If onl…if on…if only I c-could tell him…"

"Tell me what?" A familiar voice came from behind and scared the daylights out of her. Standing there was Naruto.

She yelped in terror. "N-N-N-Naru…" She had panicked so hard she collapsed on the steps.

"Hinata? Hinata you ok?" Concerned, he propped her up while standing but her head tilted straight back. She was out like a light. "Oh jeez…I didn't mean that Hinata. Shit I gotta get you to your bunk." He carried her in his arms and tried to get up the stairs. He couldn't help but laugh a little bit as he turned his head to her. "Shit I'm so sorry Hinata. Didn't mean to scare ya like that."

"All right let's get you on the bed and…there we go. He rested her head on the pillow. "_Wow…this girl just fainted upon my arrival. A little weird but whatever…_" A strange feeling rushed through him though as he saw her lay there so peacefully, her face and body revealing some sort of beauty he hadn't seen before. "_Wow…she's kinda cute, but what is this I'm feelin'?_" For whatever reason he didn't know, but something possessed him to reach out and stroke her hair. "_Smooth…as smooth as silk_." He then stroked her chin with his fingers. His heart skipped a beat as to how surreally soft she was. "_No…stop this…_" He stood back up breathing a little heavier than usual.

He craned his neck back to the door and then back to Hinata. "Shit…those drill sergeants are gonna kill her if she doesn't finish that. Sorry to fuck your work up Hinata…I'll take care of this. After all…I owe ya."

When she came to she was alarmed to find herself on the bed…yet…she was alone. "Naruto?" She looked around but found not a single person, no commotion outside, no bags returned to their foot lockers, nothing.

"Naruto…y-you there?" She got up and walked around, noticing a small piece of paper tied to the doorway. She rushed over and right at her feet was the entire bucket of potatoes, peeled and stacked. She also just happened to notice how clean the hall was as the mop stood in its holder drying, the bunks were clean and everything completely organized. "D-d-did he…?"

She unfolded the note and read it:

"_Hinata,_

_Sorry about scaring the crap outta you and making you faint. Really…I didn't mean it. Guess I'm still a bit of a screw-up huh? Anyway, I still wanna thank you for bailing me out of that mess with the rifle. You knew you were going to get in trouble yet you saved me from it anyway. I'm heading back out to town with Choji, Shino, Sakura, and the others. I know there wasn't much I could do to repay the favor so I just did your chores instead. You're a good person Hinata…I like you. Anyway I'm off. See you soon._

_Naruto_"

"He…he l-l-l-likes me?" She was astounded. Sure the note probably meant as a friend but she became flushed with red in the face all over again. With utter care she folded the note and placed it in her foot locker where only she could see it and it'd be protected from anything else. "He…likes me."

"Naruto, here…" She took out a crumpled piece of paper and handed it to him.

"What's this?" He opened it and with astonishment jerked a little. "It's…"

"The s-same note from boot camp. I kept it all th-that time…even when I was r-really hurt. It stayed intact."

"Wow…fancy that…" He studied it up and down. The writing was a little blurred and the paper worn but still it held. "I gotta be honest, when I carried you back in and you just laid there. For a brief moment…I felt…I felt like I was looking at a true beauty. I'm sorry that I was never up front with you on it."

"Naruto…" Her hand rubbed his cheek. "It's all right. You still were there."

"I just…I just felt like I wanted to assist you."

"You helped me all right, Naruto. You helped me survive that. They all h-hated me…b-but not you."

"Oh come on…it wasn't that bad. What about Shikamaru…or Choji? I mean…Shikamaru just didn't care. That's how he rolls. He always found women to be a bother…yet go figure…in comes Temari of the Sand Nation."

She snickered. "Yeah…iro-ironic huh?"

"Good use of the word, Hinata." He kissed her on the middle of her scalp, letting the still soft hairs tickle his lips and nose.

"They were g-good people. Sh-Shikamaru especially."

"Yeah…I know. Honestly every time I think about those guys and us…it keeps bringing me back…to Kumo."

That name made Hinata's heart jump a little bit. There in Kumogakure, there she nearly came face to face with death not only for her but for her love. She recalled the time the mortars struck the church and how she couldn't move. Her cousin, Neji, berated her previously and had continued to do so because of her fear. Kiba and Shino couldn't move her one inch. It took him, the man who at the time was blatantly obvious in his liking to Sakura, to get her out of that funk. It was his voice, that strong and staunch voice, the same one who cheered her name playing kickball and the same one who cried out her name when he pulled her out of the mud.

"HINATA!" He screamed. "Hinata...come on Hinata you have to get up and fight!"  
"N-Naruto? Is, is that you?"  
"Yes it's me," he replied grasping her shoulder, "listen I know things are scary right now and you've never been through this, but we have to fight. You have a job to do and you have to be a strong woman right now. I know you can do that. I believe in you. You don't want these bastards to get you do you?" She wiped the tears from her face. Nodding, she slowly got up with his assistance. "Naruto…thank you."

He just smiled at her as she quickly scurried to her squad, already finding there were wounded to attend to. Meanwhile he turned back to his own squad.

The battle had been raging up to the point where the Sound had brought in their StuG assault guns. Things were getting dire as a good chunk of the anti-armor soldiers were dead or wounded, Tenten being one of the few left.

Naruto, in an effort to impress Sakura with reckless bravery, had grabbed one of the last remaining satchel charges.

"_Come on Naruto, come on! You're almost there._" He thought to himself, clutching his satchel charge feverishly. "_They're all countin' on you so you gotta do this!_"

Naruto ran behind the stone wall in front of a cafe, stopping to catch his breath, rethinking how to go about his assault. A Sound soldier quickly rushed in and caught him off guard. Naruto tackled him down to the ground, knocking his B.A.R. out of his hand, the soldier losing his rifle as well. The two wrestled around in mortal combat, the Sound soldier desperately trying to kill Naruto with his knife, Naruto holding the knife back with every ounce of strength he had. Inch by inch the knife got closer, the situation getting worse. Fumbling around, he searched for something to grab, finding a piece of broken stone. With all the effort he could muster, he smashed the soldier's head with the rock, knocking him off. Stumbling to his feet, he screamed with rage as he grabbed his trench blade and dug it deep in the enemy's chest. The Sound soldier convulsed wildly for a few seconds, then lay still. Naruto struggled to catch his breath, staring at the dead man, fresh crimson blood running down his cheeks, before he ran off. What was going to happen to his friends depended on him and him alone.

Few seemed to actually notice the small Leaf soldier scrambling toward the vehicle, which was ironic considering the noise he makes amongst his own comrades.

"_One-hundred fifty yards, gotta keep goin'. One-hundred thirty…one-hundred twenty. Keep pushing Naruto keep pushing!_"

"There's one of them!" A Sound rifleman announced! "Kill him now!" Two more came to his aid, raining submachine gun fire on him as he dove to the side. "We're gonna get you Leaf boy! Give up now!"

"No chance!" Naruto retorted as he swung around and fired a few shots off, felling one of his pursuers. Immediately the Sound soldiers doubled their numbers, pouring fire on the young soldier. Then a crack roared as one of them flew back five feet and about five seconds later another Soundie crumpled to the ground. Naruto turned to catch a faint glimpse of Shikamaru and the others lending a hand, despite their own troubles trying to survive the onslaught. "Thanks guys…" he whispered. Taking the opportunity given by the pause from the other two soldiers, he quickly took aim and dropped them as well. Confident his friends had his back. "_I'm almost there, fifty yards…forty…thirty. Twenty!_" He had just gotten in range when the StuG finally noticed him, turning its gun slowly, Naruto winding up for the throw, recalling what Sakura had said about the explosives. Ten seconds was all he needed as he primed the charge.

"Open up an' say 'Ah!' you Sound bastards!" He roared as he threw the charge as best he could to the underbelly of the monster, the seconds counting down but feeling like minutes. "Boom!" He whispered to himself while desperately running for cover, then a force of unimaginable power swept through him, and everything went black.

"The fuck was that?!?" Kiba screamed amidst the din of battle. The shockwave had knocked many off their feet and left some of the Leaf soldiers in confusion.

"Uzumaki…where's Uzumaki?" Sergeant Mitarashi looked around furiously. "Where'd that punk go?"

Choji spotted the site of the blast. "Naruto…he got the StuG…but he's down!"

"The stupid kid flew right into a wall!" Sergeant Sarutobi added.

"Naruto…no…" Hinata ran to the plumes of smoke from the ruined Sound gun. There she saw what gave her a near heart attack. Naruto lay on the ground, completely still. Her eyes were as wide as her fists. "N-No…NO! NARUTO!" She screamed at the top of her lungs and charged off into the chaos. Her eyes were solely fixed on him, not her comrades behind her, not the Soundies shooting around her, but only on Naruto.

"HYUGA! Get your ass back here! Do you want to die?!?" Sasuke, Hinata's squad leader, bellowed out, but she simply ignored it.

"Naruto…no…please don't die…please don't…" She panted out running to him. "I don't want to lose you…"

"Hinata!" She heard someone approach. It was Shikamaru.

"Sh-Sh-Shikam-maru!"

"Hinata! Hinata get to Naruto. Sasuke, Sakura, and I will cover you!"

"Right." She ran to him where he lay prostrate on the cobblestone. A Sound soldier tried to get the drop on her though. "NO!" She screamed as she fired her Carbine from the him. The man crumpled over and she just stood there for a second. It was a kill…her first confirmed kill. She was dazed for another second until Shikamaru bopped her on the shoulder.

"Hinata! I said get to Naruto!"

She just nodded as she bolted again to Naruto, crawling low from nearby machine gun fire. She ran her hand to his neck and waited while Shikamaru popped another round off, most likely killing another Soundie. She panicked when there was nothing. "No…please God…no."

Then…a slight bump…and then another. She found his pulse. She was elated. "He's alive! Th-thank God! He's alive!"

"Then we need to get him to safety before we're all gonna need rescuing!"

"Cover me Shikamaru. Oh and one other thing..."

"What's that?"

"Thank you. You're the only one who willingly ran off to help me."

"When this is all said and done I'm gonna kill the both of you!" Sasuke growled as he approached.

"Cool it babe, we're in some rough shit and these Soundies are gonna have us dead to rights if we don't pull back now!" Sakura said, calming her boyfriend down just a notch.

"Oh shit, they've spotted us! We gotta move...NOW!" Sasuke barked as we covered for Hinata. She struggled for a second trying to get a hold of Naruto.

"Hinata let me help you." Shikamaru stepped forward with a hand outstretched.

"No…Shikamaru…let me do this."

"But Hinata…he's too heavy for…"

"Please. I w-want to do this. I'm a medic. Th-this is my d-duty."

Shikamaru just shied away taking cover behind one of the pieces of ruin. He had never really known Hinata too well aside from how much she liked Naruto so he respectfully understood.

"You have to let me do this." She insisted, and with all her might, might I've never seen before, she managed to rest him on her shoulder, his arm slung around her neck. "It's...it's ok Naruto." She gasped under the stress of his weight. "I've got you and I won't...I won't let you die. Not...not o-on my watch!" Step by step she struggled, but somehow, someway she kept going, the other three keeping her safe from harm. She could feel his weight bearing down on him inch by punishing inch, but it was for him, for Naruto.

"Grrrk…nggahhhhh…" She grunted and groaned trying to carry him. "_Naruto…don't die for me please. I…I love you._"

Hinata shared a small section of blasted-out wall with Naruto, still unconscious, and held him tight to her. "_If only Naruto was awake..._" I thought to myself. A loud boom emanated from in front as Tenten must've landed a direct hit on the left halftrack, disabling the vehicle, but not stopping some of the soldiers to get out. We fired back to keep them at bay.  
"Uh-uhnnnnn...who are you?" a stunned Naruto slurred to Hinata. "Hmmm...Am I dead? Are you... are you an angel?" He must've been delirious from the shock. Blood was running over his face, but he wasn't shot thank God. Hinata looked at him for a second, and held him closer. If they were to die here, at least they'd die together, even if Naruto didn't know.  
"Don't worry Naruto...I'll take care of you." She replied, knowing full well that he didn't know who she was. He smiled weakly then blacked out again.

Hinata felt the warmth of the unconscious Naruto on her, yet things were getting dire. Sakura and Sasuke had screamed that a halftrack was coming their way, but in the nick of time, help arrived. A rocket roared and plopped the halftrack on its side while overwhelming fire forces the Sound back from their assault. Shikamaru would later point out that it was the Sand Resistance who bailed them out.

Sakura was ecstatic. "Holy shit…they're bugging out! We did it!"

Hinata held Naruto close to her smiling the whole time, the strength fading from her rapidly before she was down for the count. "We won Naruto…we won…we…won."


	2. Chapter 2

"I can't remember how long I was out for, Naruto. All I remember what Shikamaru and Sakura said was that I was still holding you when the medics took us both away."

He laughed. "Not for nothin' Hinata…but I can't remember a lot of that either."

She laughed right back. "Naruto…you're silly."

"But there is one really big thing I remember though."

"You…you mean…?"

"Of course Hinata…how could I, even in my rather comatose state, forget such a thing?" He pulled her in closer. "It was one of the greatest things even my half-dead mind could hear at the time."

While he lay there, she kept vigil. She hadn't left his side since they had been extracted from Kumogakure. He was bandaged up, but the doctors didn't give him a very good prognosis.

Naruto had suffered significant damage to his body by flying into the debris. He was currently in a concussion that was a borderline coma. It devastated Hinata to see the man she loved in such a rough shape. Sure it beat death at the hands of the Soundies, but this was almost as bad. If he didn't regain consciousness soon, he could be out for a very long time and if his body slowed down, things would've been incredibly dire.

"Naruto…Naruto…" She weakly whispered to herself as she rested her head on his chest. The blood had been cleaned off of him for the most part so she felt it ok to do just that. "Why…?" Sadly she knew why he did it, that he did it to impress Sakura again. She however, would forgive him for it, she always did. She just wanted him to wake up, to be ok, to see her again, and even possibly learn that it was Hinata who helped save Naruto.

Then, even with the other medics and wounded around, she started sobbing. She took one look at his face, his motionless face, while tears ran down hers. She could taste the bitter salt of them.

"P-please…w-w-wake up." This time it was the utter sorrow that caused her to stutter. "Please…" It was almost like a mantra. She had been repeating the same plea for hours upon hours now. A couple of her peers in the platoon came to check up on the two of them but walked away low and distraught over the situation. They tried to take their minds off it, but Hinata couldn't. She had cried for another hour or so before even that took its toll on her strength. Depleted, she rested her head on his chest and felt his slow breathing. She dreamed of him waking up and being with her. She dreamed that they were back in Konoha and she felt his arms around him. She hated being here and it tore her to pieces seeing the one person who she truly cared for in such a state.

Hinata felt a tug on her shoulder. "Hinata are you with us?"

The voice was familiar. As she opened her eyes she could see Shikamaru and Choji. "Sh-Shikamaru?"

"Yeah it's just Choji and I. We wanted to see how you were doin'. We also brought some food for you." He offered her a biscuit to which she accepted graciously and nibbled on it.

Choji took a step forward. "We heard you've been here the whole time."

"Yes, yes I have. I wanted to see him when he wakes up." She felt the weight of Choji's massive hand on her shoulder but enjoyed his smile.

"You did a really courageous thing back there at the church. Hell, the strength you had to lug this dimwit rivaled mine! I'm almost jealous." She snickered a bit but then reverted back to her stressed demeanor. "Hinata…"

"Hinata, you must really care for him don't you? Is that why you ran off like that? Is it?"

Shikamaru wasn't interrogating her, but just seeking some sort of answer for such an unexpected answer. Her heart felt heavy, but if there was anyone she could confide in, it could be Naruto's two best friends Choji and Shikamaru. She grasped Naruto's hand.

"All my life I was always treated as someone of little value. I grew up timid and always unsure of myself. My father and Neji never gave me any encouragement since I wasn't the strong woman my mother was. I always wondered to myself why I keep going on, enduring the abuse and always slinking away, never standing up for myself. All I ever wanted was to become strong and self-confident, but to no avail. It wasn't until I met him, when we were all kids, that I had a beacon of hope. Naruto had a rough life like some of us. He never had parents to tell him they loved him nor encouragement from friends. I saw him get kicked and spat on, all because he was an orphan and branded a delinquent. Few took the time to actually understand him like you and Choji. Everyone else just wrote him off as a miscreant and loser, like they did me." Shikamaru was shocked to see her not stutter or stammer. She felt the confidence in her rising, as if it was a five-hundred pound gorilla she was getting off her back. "You ask me why I would do what I did before. I did it because I know he'd do the same for any of us. I know he pines for Sakura but I'll forgive him. I always will. Naruto…is what I've always wanted to be, unyielding confidence in the face of rejection. Someone tells him that he can't do something and he'll do whatever it takes to prove that person wrong. Even when we were in basic training, when no one else offered me encouragement, he would step in and try to help. Sure the advice wasn't the best, but he helped me when few others would. He wouldn't let me quit for any reason. When we were mortared and I couldn't move, he gave me strength when even Shino couldn't. When I saw him lying there after the explosion, I couldn't stand to watch him die. I always wanted to be a protector, to save lives and find purpose in myself doing so. With Naruto I found a reason to pursue that sense of purpose, to protect his life with my own."

Shikamaru asked levelly, "You love him, don't you?"

Now was the moment of truth, and in a strange twist of fate, she was not afraid to say it. "Yes…yes I do love him, with every fiber in my body I do. I want to provide him the love he never had. I always wanted to tell him but I never could muster the courage to do it, and I fear I never will." Despite the display of verbal courage, she couldn't fight back the anguish as she tried to wipe away her tears. She knew she looked like a human train wreck as the tears mixed with the dirt and dust on her face.

Choji again rested his hand on her back in an effort to comfort. With a straight face he looked her right in the eye, Hinata just starting nervously at the massive machine gunner. "So why don't you tell him now?"

It struck Hinata right in the heart. Shikamaru and Choji just looked at her, expecting a response but also trying to push her to be strong just a little longer, to tell the near-comatose Naruto how she really felt. They weren't suggesting it just for shits. Naruto was their friend and Hinata loved their friend. They wanted her to have some sort of satisfaction and peace. She nodded and with her lips trembling, she approached Naruto's ear, whispering so soft that not even the keen-minded Shikamaru could hear.

"Naruto…it's me…Hinata. I, I don't know if y-you can hear me or not, but I want to tell you something. My life was misery and hopelessness before I met you. You changed everything, your smile and your confidence, it changed…it changed me. You rescued me from a pit of despair Naruto, where I felt no love and no connection to anyone, even in my family. You probably thought it was nothing when you invited me to kickball, or you helped me not to cry, or you pulled me out of the mud, you did my work for me, and you stood up for me since we were little, but it was so much more. You were the only person who took my feelings into consideration, who would smile at me instead of spit at my feet, and who would listen when I spoke. I know you must think of me as weird…or shy…or timid, but I want to be strong Naruto. I want to be strong for you, Naruto. I want to be strong…because I love you Naruto. Since the day I've met you I fell in love with you. I know you've had a rough past and I know you never had anyone to tell you they loved you. I want to be that someone Naruto. I want to be your pillar when times are rough for you. I want to make you happy, just like you've made me happy. I want to be there for you in this war just like you're there for me. So please…wake up…wake up." She choked a little bit on her sorrow before giving him a nervous kiss on the forehead, her lips tasting his skin, the finest thing she had laid her mouth on. "I love you, Naruto…and I always will." She turned to the other two. "Shikamaru, Choji, thank you for being such good friends." Then she walked out of the tent, leaving the two to contemplate what had just happened. While outside, the cool air hit her face and she took a deep breath. She tried to keep it together, but she couldn't. Holding it in with all her might, she sought the nearest dark patch of trees, sank to her knees, and cried her eyes out.

"Oh God…Naruto! Why?" She could barely get those words out as she gnashed her teeth and slammed her fists on the ground. "Wake up…God please…let him wake up. Please…Naruto…I don't want to lose you." She pleaded to the heavens in between sobs. She looked up to the sky as the drops fell off her jaw. "Naruto."

Naruto just sat there, struggling to get a word out as Hinata told her tale. Never did he realize the pain that his reckless actions caused on her. In a strange and ironic way, this pain he caused and the actions he took all led up to this. Nevertheless, guilt still coursed through his veins.

"Hinata…I'm so sorry."

She gripped him tightly. "Naruto, don't. What happened, happened. I know I was hurting, everyone knew. But just like that, you came back. You came back for me when I was down. It was as if you were never away from me."

"I must confess Hinata. I had heard something like that when I was out."

She turned around and had her mouth agape. "_Did he…did he hear me?_"

He recalled how that very love that Hinata confessed to him snapped him out. Truth be told, it wasn't Shikamaru's lambasting of his unresponsive state that did it but instead the truth coming out of the mouth of a timid girl. "I had a dream. I was in the fields of Konoha, sitting and letting the sun beat down on me. I then heard a voice, but no one was around. The voice was sweet and angelic."

"_Like…like an angel…_"

"It told me that there was someone who loved me, someone who had saved me because I had unknowingly saved them from despair. It told me to wake up, that there was someone hurting."

Naruto recalled when he was still down and out despite apparently hearing Hinata albeit the message distorted. He recalled when he surprising came to and the medics never noticed.

He heard the ruckus outside and the back and forth yelling. He heard Neji scream something about an idiot and the name of Hinata. He faded in and out but clear as day, he heard one sentence that changed his life.

"Oh…you don't want me to insult Naruto? Why not huh? Why are you so steadfast to that kid? Tell me…TELL ME!!!"

"BECAUSE I LOVE HIM!" The girl screamed as loudly as she could. He couldn't make out the rest but what he heard was enough to snap him right out. He painstakingly crawled out of bed and hobbled to the flap where he witnessed Neji confronting his cousin and telling off Shikamaru and Ino. Again the words were a blur but then Neji made a huge mistake.

Angered over a comment Hinata made, he slapped her to the ground. Shikamaru and Choji were ready to charge at him head on, but Naruto was already setting his sights on him. He grabbed the closest thing to him, a round rock the size of his palm, and hucked it. It nailed Neji right in the forehead.

Screaming in pain, he demanded to know who threw the rock. Naruto stepped up to the plate.

"I did it! You wanna…you wanna try hitting Hinata again?"

"You little snake! That really hurt?"

Naruto limped closer. "I-I hope it did Neji. C'mon…you wanna fight someone your own size?"

"Ha! Look at you. You can barely swing a punch! You're pathetic!" As Hinata struggled to get back up Neji coldheartedly kicked her in the stomach, the groan of forced air leaving her mouth.

Naruto felt his self-control manifest as a tightly pulled string getting tighter and tighter. The second Neji kicked Hinata that string snapped. His eyes developed tunnel vision and all of a sudden, the adrenaline coursed through his bloodstream. He felt his heart beat rapidly and his muscles no longer feel pain.

"NNNHHHAHHHHHH!" He screamed as he blazed right past Shikamaru and Choji, blindsiding Neji and knocking him straight to the ground, unleashing a flurry of blows as he raged and bellowed at Neji. "Don't you touch her! DON'T YOU EVER TOUCH HINATA LIKE THAT!"

He screamed as he grabbed Neji by the neck and slammed his head on the dirt. Neji swung a right hook and knocked him off. The crowd felt the urge to help, but somehow they knew that this was Naruto's fight, that this was for Hinata and only he could win it.  
Neji landed a jab and then kicked Naruto's legs out from under him. Soon Neji was on top. "You fucker, I'll murder you!" Then he started wailing on Naruto, who was doing his best to dodge the blows. Neji had the advantage of being fully fit so Naruto had to act quickly to gain the upper hand again. "Given up yet twerp?" Neji asked while continuing to punch.  
"NO!" He replied as he drove his fists into Neji's sides. A sharp cry of pain erupted from Neji who became even more furious, trying to choke Naruto. Hinata suddenly gathered her strength and attempted to shove Neji off Naruto.  
"Get off of him!" She yelled as she was able to knock Neji off balance, giving Naruto the leg room to grab Neji's face and slam it down on the grass before he could strike Hinata. They could tell Naruto was already half-awake by his eyes, but the fight was still in him. He pinned Neji to the ground and held his arms as he lunged and head butted Neji. A gasp came from the crowd. Both were already bloodied and bruised, but Naruto wanted to return all the pain Neji had given to Hinata. Naruto was merciless, punching Neji everywhere from the sides to the gut to the throat, then choking him, not even caring if he killed him. Rage took over his emotions. "Don't ever...ever hurt Hinata again! Don't you touch her! I'll fucking kill you if you do!"  
The crowd roared in excitement. Tenten tried to rush in and stop it but was stopped by Kiba. The animosity between Neji and Naruto/Hinata had already permeated into their friends. The two glared at each other while trading insults. It was looking like another fight was gonna erupt.

LT Lee and Sergeant Yamato had broken up the fight. Naruto, already woozy as hell from the fracas, couldn't really make out what Lee was saying but it was probably something threatening and something that First Sergeant Guy would blab on about. His comrades rushed to him.

"Jesus Christ Naruto...you certainly know how to make a comeback appearance!" Kiba said.  
He grinned. "Sorry to," he stopped as he coughed up a little blood, "sorry to keep you waiting like that. Got a little encouragement from Shikamaru."  
"That was noble of you fighting that creep like that kid. Even I'm impressed." Temari added.  
"Hinata..." He softly whispered.  
"Y-yes, N-n-Naruto?" She replied.  
"I...I...I heard what you said. I heard what you thought...every...single...word. I never knew...you thought...that way. I'm sorry."  
"N-no it's ok Naruto. I'm sorry for making you do this."  
"No, someone had to...teach that Neji bastard...a lesson. I was told you saved me from the Soundies...that you...that you carried me to safety, all because you love me. Hinata..." He said as he was getting choked up, the tears mixing with the drying blood on his face.  
"Yes Naruto?" Hinata's lips began to quiver as joy but also fear forced tears from her eyes once more.  
"I...I...love...I love...you...t..." He barely uttered before he faded out again.  
"Naruto? Naruto!" Hinata said, shaking him, trying to get an answer out.

"Had it not been for LT Lee I probably would've beaten Neji to a pulp. I hope you can forgive me for hurting your cousin so viciously. I…I at first didn't know what came over me but when I saw Neji do those things to you, it made me recall all the abuse you took. I just went into a rage."

"You stood up for me Naruto, just like you always did."

"I wouldn't let you down Hinata, not on my watch. However, I was certainly a fool for not realizing it sooner Hinata. I'm kind of ashamed I never realized you loved me."

Hinata smiled. "Well…Sh-Shikamaru always told me you w-were a little dense."

He grimaced. "The man is smart I won't deny that. He's a bit of a dick but he knows what he's talking about. I guess…I guess it takes me a while for things to really solidify, for me to really be there for you like you were for me at Kumo."

"That's, that's not true Naruto. Only you were there to speak your mind to the captain. Only y-you had the guts to say wh-what we all thought. You w-were there for us, f-for me. The camp…r-remember it? "

"HINATA!" Naruto screamed as he led a throng of emaciated prisoners towards the trucks. "Hinata we gotta get them on board now!"

"R-right!" She and many of the other medics including Ino helped ferry them across. A yell of pain rang to the right of Hinata. Choji was down with a bad wound to the leg making Ino panic and do her best to get him on board.

"Hinata…here help me out!" He climbed on board hauling the parents of the children of the abandoned town onto the vehicles. Time was critical getting these prisoners on board since Sound reinforcements were sure to show up.

When it was all said and done they had escaped the camp with no casualties, but the Sound was hot on their trail.

Bullets whizzed by the canvases of the trucks, leaving Naruto and Hinata to lay low for cover as the truck drivers desperately swerved to dodge the harassing Sound attack. One car pulled up close to Naruto's revealing a few angry Soundies ready to kill.

"Oh no ya don't!" Naruto slapped a fresh magazine in his B.A.R. and with as much balance and aim he could muster, fired the entire magazine off. While he didn't kill anyone, a lucky bullet struck one of the tires causing the Sound car to slow down and nearly lose control. He hurled a grenade at the same vehicle hoping it would slow it down. It only did for a short while but eventually the popped tire caused it to lose control.

"Naruto! Hang on!" Hinata screamed as the bumps made him stumble but eventually he regained his footing, tenaciously hanging on to a support beam on the top. Another soldier had nearly fallen out had he not done the same thing and grabbed the nearest rail.

Sound halftracks kept coming at the fleeing trucks, the Sound soldiers of Fox Company desperately trying to hold them off. So far they had been successful but the Sound pursuers were relentless in their harassment. Radio reports in between the convoy repeated a few deaths already.

"Hinata! Stay down! We're not done with them!"

Hinata did her best to keep the civilians calm. "It's ok, w-w-we're g-gonna get you home. Ssssstay down."

One of the fellow medics was trying to get a status on the driver. He turned to Hinata. "Drivers are ok. Hyuga, make sure the prisoners aren't hurt and whatever you do keep your he…" A ripping of canvas followed by a hard smack followed as something flew right into the head of the medic. A surprised stare came from his eyes as blood and skull flew right into Hinata's face. Her face was paralyzed in fear. The medic crumpled to the ground and bled all over the truck bed soaking into her uniform. Naruto was too busy to notice the poor girl as he fired back at a couple of Sound soldiers in a truck.

"Gettin' real sporty out here! Hinata are you ok?" He turned to see her curled up as the dead man lay next to her, her face covered in blood and gore. "Oh fuck, Hinata!" The Soundies were no longer of any concern. When he saw the woman he cared for the most just sitting there as if she saw a ghost, he had no choice but to rush to her. More bullets pinged the top of the truck's canvas, giving clear indication they weren't out of the woods.

Suddenly, the ground shook with incredible force, but it wasn't just one shockwave. Again and again massive booms erupted. Naruto had heard something about X-Ray Battery coming to their assistance.

"Hinata! It's the artillery! They're covering us! We can make it!" Things were falling over left and right as the truck struggled to evade the Sound. It had seemed some of their halftracks dodged the artillery fire and were dogging them all over again. Hinata and Naruto were thrust into the side. What they didn't see coming was the dead medic who landed right on Hinata, the face staring right at her again.

"Oh God!" She shrieked in terror. Naruto kicked the body off and shielded her eyes as the other occupants screamed and held on for dear life.

"I have you Hinata. I won't let you go."

The radio was getting frantic. "God damn it! They're just not leaving us! If we don't get movin' we're all dead!"

Then it turned ugly. Screeching to a halt, the truck thrust everyone forward.

"What the hell is this?" Naruto muttered. His heart jumped as he heard the Sound vehicles approaching. "Oh crap…not good…not good." He held on to Hinata tighter as he could feel the Soundies approaching, ready to kill these people they had just rescued along with the lot of Fox Company.

Then, out of nowhere, one of the halftracks erupted in a ball of fire. It was in the nick of time that he had heard the familiar grinding of tracks.

"No way…no fucking way."

"We couldn't let X-Ray have all the fun huh boys?" A familiar voice cackled through the radio. It was Captain Umino. "C'mon Able, let's bring these boys home! We're not gonna strand our comrades behind!" Again and again the cannons roared as more Sound vehicles became twisted hulks from their 76mm cannons.

"Iruka…you son of a bitch." He whispered to himself shedding a small tear. His mentor had been there for him again. He laughed ecstatically as the trucks moved again at a faster rate, grinning wildly watching the Pershing and Sherman tanks engage the fleeing Sound armor. "Hinata, we're gonna be all right. By God…we'll be ok."

The poor girl said nothing, shaking terribly from the scare. Naruto just kissed her forehead and held her close as they continued to ride off.

They had finally gotten into the town when the place erupted into panic. Captain Hatake was there barking orders, trying to get the liberated prisoners organized and a triage center set up. Medics rushed left and right to get everything in order, but for those on the trucks…it was a different story. Choji had managed to limp off and despite his wounded leg, he had the strength to console a rather distraught Ino who was sobbing. Naruto picked Hinata up and hopped off the truck, the shock to his legs nowhere near as concerning as the trauma Hinata had suffered. He set her down near some supply boxes desperately trying to flick pieces of God knew what off of her. She just sat there wide-eyed and shaking.

"Hinata…dear God I'm so sorry."

"N-N-N-N-Narut-t-t-tooooo…"

"It's ok Hinata. We're safe now."

Shikamaru spotted the two and ran up to them. "Oh my God Hinata! Is she ok Naruto?"

"She's all right. Poor guy next to her got shot right in the head and it's all over her, scared her half to death those Soundie fucks did. It's ok Hinata...I'm here, I'm all right."  
"N-Naruto...oh Naruto!" She screamed as she sobbed on his arm. He had her rest her head on his arm as he wiped the blood off of her. "I th-thought...I thought we were g-g-going to die. Naruto..."  
"Hinata! You're with me now Hinata...I won't let anything happen to you! Not on my watch Hinata! I love you..."

The medics had hauled the corpse out of the truck yet it continued to look at Hinata.

"G-GET IT AWAY!" She screamed trying to bury her head into Naruto's chest.

"Don't look Hinata…don't look. I'm here Hinata. C'mon…let's get outta here." He found it a little difficult at first to move her, but she looked at him with her trembling lips and decided to get up.

They had found a small room with a bed tucked away in the corner. He set her on the bed leaning on the wall, her trance still getting the best of her responsiveness.

He unscrewed his canteen and put it to her lips. "Here…drink it." As much as he hated it, he kind of had to help guide the water into Hinata's mouth. She drank it, but she still kept that blank look on her face.

"Hinata…it's me, Naruto. I'm here for you. I'm sorry that had to happen. Please…snap out of it."

The violence of what had happened certainly got her in that funk, but in a small section in the back off her mind, allowing that to traumatize her made her feel even worse, that she hadn't gotten past her timid nature. She hadn't responded to Naruto partly out of shame.

"The prisoners are ok I heard…not a single one died. We did it Hinata. We saved them." Still he got nothing. "Oh…Hinata…" He pulled her in and stroked her hair. He felt the stickiness of the blood on it but he did not stop. Instead he clutched her head and pulled it to his collar. He could feel her tears still running down her face and onto his skin. "It's ok. Hinata, I know how this feels and I know what things like this does to people. You have to be strong Hinata. You have to understand things like this happen, but you also have to remember. I'm here for you Hinata. I love you."

"Uzumaki?" He heard Sergeant Mitarashi come in. Sure enough, she found him. "Uzumaki we need your ass…outside…now…" She stopped as she bore witness to the young boy trying to console Hinata. "I…"

"Sergeant…she needs me. Please…don't make me leave her."

In a rare moment, Mitarashi huffed and complied. "Ok fine. This is your freebie Uzumaki."

"Thank you sergeant." Waiting until he sergeant finally left, he turned back to the girl. "Hinata, I love you so much. You're a strong woman and I know it. Snap out of this Hinata. You helped me snap out of a damn coma so I know you can snap out of this. Please Hinata…" He looked in her eyes and planted a big kiss on her lips. His face turned rather grim. "You're tired. Please…rest."

She laid down on the bed with Naruto guiding her. He grabbed her rifle and stacked it with his. He then lay down beside her and held her close. "I have you Hinata. I won't leave your side. I'm here for you and I won't let anything happen again, not on my watch."

An hour passed by and Naruto had fallen asleep. Sadly the same could not have been said for Hinata as she lay on her side, staring into the wall, but feeling the warmth of her love wrapped around her. She cried silently trying to force herself out of her misery. She slowly turned to look him in the face. His eyes were closed and his body still, but the look of concern was still caked on his face.

"Naruto…thank you for being for me." She whispered. "My Naruto…forgive me. Forgive me for still being weak. I want to be stronger…I will become stronger." She stroked his cheek before the fatigue finally kicked in. She couldn't fight it any longer as her eyes closed and sleep awaited her. "_Stronger…_"

"It was my inner t-timidity that led me to that. God I t-tried so hhhhhhard afterwards."

Naruto lost his smile. "And you nearly died doing so." Hinata lowered her head in shame but Naruto continued to affectionately stroke through her hair. "I guess it was my fault that I didn't see it afterwards and that I didn't tell you that you were strong enough."

"C-Cannot blame yourself. It w-was my fault."

"I saw a different you at Hill 404, Hinata. It was some sort of bloodthirsty and serious Hinata, the likes of which I had never seen. Of course we were to fight the Sound but just…just the savagery of it all." He sighed. "Then again, what am I saying? We didn't really have much of a choice anyway huh?"

"No…no we didn't."

"That's why I could understand with everything on Hill 404. It was just…brutal there. God willing I never have to fight like that again and endure that kind of fury. It was terrible for me, for you, for our company, for our…"

"Neji…" She said softly, stopping Naruto completely from what was to be a big diatribe. He took in a deep breath and simply nodded.

While Neji was rather cold and demeaning towards Hinata, the fight with Naruto and Hinata's confession made him realize his fault. The war was claiming more and more comrades and the first offensive on Hill 404 struck a chord for the Hyuga cousin. For whatever reason, he wanted to become square with the house concerning Hinata and his fellow soldiers. He had come clean and apologized to Hinata, for everything he did.

Hinata had accepted it graciously, seeing an opportunity to finally forge a family tie. However, it had seemed that fate, something Neji was very much into, had other plans.

With the fierce fighting during the Sound counterattack, Neji had just successfully destroyed several vehicles with a stolen PAK 38 gun. It had seemed the Sound was going to turn tail and run but red smoke from the background appeared. Many of the Leaf and Water soldiers were confused as to who it was that was coming, but Neji took one look from the binoculars and freaked.

He had screamed for everyone to get in the trenches but before he could get himself to safety, a massive explosion shook the entire hill as one of the Tiger tanks fired directly to the top. Once everyone had their bearings, some looked around for him. It was Tenten, the girl who had a crush on him since they were teenagers, who'd learn the horrible fate. She screamed as she saw the PAK 38 gun a smoldering ruin and the twisted, burnt rifle that was Neji's lay at her side.

Hinata screamed for her cousin as Naruto rushed her to cover. Tenten on the other hand ignored the pleas and went off on her own to fight one of the tanks. It was by a miracle she lived after several attacks on the tank by Water soldiers and herself.

All had seemed lost until again, Able Company has shown up in the nick of time. Just when Naruto and Hinata again thought death was at their doorstep, hope had come.

The aftermath was gruesome though. Charred corpses littered the battlefield either by the hand of the Sound or from the Leaf like the rather terrifying Sakura and her flamethrower. It stunk with the unnatural air of death. The Water and Leaf forces had tried to consolidate the best it could, Naruto and Hinata left to grieve once more.

"Naruto..."

"Yes Hinata?"

"C-could you l-l-leave me for a f-few minutes...with Neji? I n-n-need to speak to him one l-last t-time. I don't w-want to get rid of you, b-but it's just s-s-something personal." She sputtered out still choked up.

"Sure thing Hinata. I'll be waiting somewhere with Shikamaru and the rest. I understand it's a family thing."

The two kissed before parting and while Hinata turned and knelt down beside Neji's rifle, Naruto accompanied Choji and Shikamaru towards a small, semi-secluded mound. Naruto was hailed by Captain Umino soon afterwards.

She tried to collect herself as she just stared at the warped weapon in the ground. "N-Neji. Why? Y-You apolog-gize just l-like that…and now y-you're gone. Neji…God…" She spent the next minute or so sobbing. Sure he was an outright monster to her, but family was family, especially one who sought redemption. She felt someone else approach. She looked up to see Tenten.

"Hinata…" Tenten never really bore any ill will towards Hinata, but she still shared the group mentality that she was too meek for the military.

"T-T-Tenten." Hinata had expected some sort of glare or something from her given what happened back in Kumo, but no. Instead she knelt down beside Hinata and the two comforted each other. "I c-cannot believe it."

"I know…"

"It isn't right. H-He w-wanted to make things better."

"I know…Neji…" Tenten was already choked up after freaking out after the battle. It took the keen tongue of Shino to calm her down. "Hinata. I'm sorry I shunned you. After that fight, Neji had talked to me. He said when you ran off to rescue Naruto he saw courage in you he didn't think was possible."

"He…he did?" To be honest she was rather surprised.

"Yes…yes he did. He would just never admit it publically. That fight with Naruto shattered his pride. It hurt him in a way even I didn't see. He finally saw what he was doing wrong and that this war was too brutal to bear a grudge on you. That's why I think he apologized. Neji…"

"My c-cousin…I'm so sorry."

"Hinata, I don't know you very well but I can see where your motivation comes from." She pointed directly to the mound where Naruto was. "Him…it comes from him. You're lucky Hinata. The source of my love," she paused for a second as a rush of emotion came over her, "died…he died today. I don't know if I'll get that again…b-but if I were Neji right now, I'd want you to be with that man through thick and through thin. I mean, I know how much you loved him…ever since we were kids."

"W-wha…?"

"Oh come on Hinata. You were pretty obvious in your fawning over that numbskull. You're luckier than you think you are."

"Tenten, thank you." Before she knew it, her comrade had burst into tears again. She embraced Tenten and the two of them just cried together. It didn't bring them much comfort, but at least they could absorb each other's pain.

"I l-loved him Hinata…I loved Neji so much."

"I know."

"He's gone…w-why Hinata?"

She had nothing to say. She lost a piece of her family. Tenten lost one of her closest friends and the object of her affection. She thought, what if Naruto had suffered the same fate? What if she was left alone? She couldn't bear such thoughts, holding her friend close and trying to take it all in. The war was chipping away at their souls. They could only imagine how long it would take before it completely withered away.

"Takigakure was the worst."

Hinata just hummed in agreement. She dared not go back into that dreadful chapter. She remembered when in another effort to show her bravery to Naruto, she ran right into enemy fire to grab Shino, thinking she'd be just as lucky like with Naruto. Such a feat would not be repeated as she was struck down by three wounds. It was a miracle from the heavens she didn't die on the spot. She winced thinking about the red hot pain shooting through her nerves and the blood loss afterwards. She nearly died that day and she nearly broke Naruto's heart.

"But I guess…I guess it was God or whomever's way of making me feel the same way you did for me back in Kumo. I wanted to be there for you though. Funny story actually…I punched out a reporter who wouldn't stop harassing you and me…Mitarashi wasn't too happy about that."

"Naruto…come on now…" She sounded annoyed but such notions died with her light laughter.

"What? Sum'bitch kept flashing that damn camera. He's lucky I didn't smash that thing over his head. Nobody does that to me and my Hinata…no one."

"Tell me…did I really hurt you that badly Naruto?"

It was a question that made Naruto think for a while. He knew full well he had said some things that he had confided with only his closest friends. "I'm sorry Hinata, but yes my heart was hurting. I couldn't bear to see you like that. I mean it was a miracle and I was happy that you only suffered the damage you did." His fingers slid into her shirt, and he felt the scars of the bullet wounds on her stomach and hip. He hurt badly on the inside when he felt those, as if he was a warrior of old who had failed personally to prevent harm from befalling his princess.

He was in the hospital back along the borderline between Konoha and one of the smaller nations. He had checked into Hinata's room around seven in the morning and stayed there ever since. While he kept vigil, she lay asleep, as peaceful as a babe. He forgot how beautiful Hinata looked in this state. He recalled that moment at boot camp when he carried her to bed after he unintentionally made her faint. He remembered how he felt the strange emotions coursing through him that would later turn to love. He wanted to touch her but he didn't, unsure of how he really felt.

"Hinata…God you're beautiful. Maybe you are an angel."

A knocking on the door interrupted his tender moment. "Um…come in?" The man walked through and prompted Naruto to stand immediately at attention.

"Hey, hey…at ease, private." The man's tone was jovial and relaxed. "How're ya feelin'? Not good I assume."

"Sir, no…not good at all."

"Ok, because it's just you, me, and that lovely woman in bed, we're gonna skip the formalities. Call me by my name, Naruto, it's ok."

"Oh um, ok…Iruka." He couldn't really smile given the situation.

"How's she doin'?" The captain asked with a straight face.

"Much better than before. She sustained damage to her hip, thigh, and a little bit of her kidney, but the docs say she'll be fit to fight rather soon."

"Good…good…and you Naruto?"

"Me? Certainly not a comatose tragedy case anymore Iruka, too stubborn for that."

"Ha. You always knew how to make a silver lining." The two just looked at each other and then at Hinata. "God it's been so long since the days in Konoha huh? It's been quite a while since we'd hang out on the rooftop and drink beer while looking at the girls…now you got a girl of your own Naruto."

"Yeah…" Naruto looked a little off to the side, "yeah I do." Iruka could tell Naruto was still hard-pressed to crack a smile. "Iruka…I've been beaten, I've been burned, I've been sliced, I've been shot, and I even flew into a God damned stone wall, but I dunno…of all things…this hurts the most."

Iruka simply smiled and patted him on the back. "You're in love Naruto. You saw the woman you care for the most get hurt so badly. You escaped Takigakure scot free physically, but the mental and emotional wounds…they're still hurtin' and I understand your pain Naruto."

"It's just…it's just getting so much harder Iruka."

"You're growin' up Naruto. Lord knows you were a man far before this, but it's times like that test just how much of a man you truly became."

"So fast…"

"That's how life hits you Naruto. You knew that the minute I took you in…I knew that the minute I lost my parents and lived, like you, on the streets. Yet…you have something I don't, someone who loves you."

"But Iruka…"

He put his hand up to cut him off. "Naruto, this is very important. I've watched you since you were a kid. This girl, this Hinata, has been watching you ever since you set foot in school. She admired and loved you for who you were when everyone else wrote you off. I saw how she took to your example at basic and how you helped her out time and time again when in fact you were actually out for that pink-haired engineer. Naruto, this girl wants to be your everything and as you've witnessed she's willing to die for it. Can I ask you something?"

"S-sure Iruka."

"Are you willing to do the same for her?"

He thought about it for a second. Up until this point he was guided by newly found emotions, the joy of being around a beautiful girl like Hinata. Nevertheless, with a confident face, he nodded. "Yes Iruka, yes I am willing. She did so much for me and I didn't even notice until now. It's already my fault I did not acknowledge her enough that she had to try and prove herself once more, but I won't let that happen again. I am willing to die for Hinata, just as I would for you Iruka."

"Noble of you Naruto, but we're talking of two different peoples. I'm simply the man who took you in…"

"No…you were always more than that."

"Let's not get into that Naruto. This is about her. I suggest thinking long and hard about this, about what you must do now that she is yours and you are hers. You're a good kid Naruto, you always were."

The flush of mental stress was very powerful, yet Naruto kept a firm demeanor. "Thanks Iruka. You've always managed to be right about these sorts of things. I am indeed in love with her."

"You wouldn't be up at the ass crack a' dawn sleeping by her side if you weren't. Doesn't take a scholar to figure that shit out Naruto." They both shared a good laugh. "Take care of her Naruto. She's one of the best things to happen to you in your life."

"I know…thank you again Iruka."

"Well, I gotta see to the boys of Able, give 'em the mornin' update. You take care Naruto. I'll be seein' ya soon."

A few minutes passed by until another person entered the door. This time…it was Shikamaru. Shikamaru was an interesting character. He was considered to be Naruto's best friend…that and Choji, yet his demeanor didn't always reveal it as such. Shikamaru thought of the kid as nothing but a lunkhead but damn if he didn't admire his guts.

Naruto didn't notice his entry. "Hey there pipsqueak."

He turned to Shikamaru. "Heya smartass. How goes it?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing."

"Same old thing Shikamaru, just hangin' in there."

"I'm sure you are. How's Hinata doing?"

"Oh no worrying about her! Doctors say she'll be up and running in no time. She's just very tired right now and needs her rest."

"It's practically noon time Naruto."

"Well still...she needs her rest." He took a deep breath and let it out gradually. "This feels...eerily familiar Shikamaru."

"It's probably because the same thing was happening back in July except this time she's the one that's hurt and you're the one constantly vigilant."

He chuckled. "Funny how things work out eh?" He then shook his head and most surprising to Shikamaru, began to tear up. "Fuck man...I can't believe I fucked up like this. How did I not see this coming?"

"Whaddaya mean Naruto?"

"She said she didn't want to be a timid coward anymore. She said she was sick of everyone looking down at her because she wasn't like Sakura or Tenten and she wanted to show how brave she could be. The last time she was I was unconscious and this time in the Waterfall Nation she wanted to show me. Jesus Christ...she really wanted to prove it to me...a fucking idiot loser like me. Figures no other girl would give me the time of day except her since we were younger and I was too stupid to see it." A couple of tears hit the white sheets over Hinata. "Why didn't I just tell her? Why couldn't I just let her know that she already proved herself to me? I should've done more. You were right Shikamaru. I should've kept my eye on her. I should've noticed she was changing for the worse and she could've gotten herself killed just to fucking prove something she didn't need to!"

"Naruto...you did what you thought was right. Choji and I should've told you what she wanted directly. Then again I don't even know what's right nowadays. Temari and I have our own issues especially with Gaara's death. It's troublesome isn't it?"

"Never thought I'd say this but it is indeed troublesome."

"She knows you love her Naruto. I guess she wanted to really prove that she loves you more than anything...even if it meant injury or death."

"I should've just told her that I knew she loved me and that it made me happier than ever before."

"Well you can be thankful that at least she's alive." His tearing stopped as he wiped them away.

"I know...I already am. God she looks so beautiful. I still can't believe I never saw it. Hey Shikamaru, I've got a secret for ya. Please don't tell anyone."

"You have my word Naruto. Scout's honor..."

"Ok. Check this out." Naruto fumbled around his pockets fishing for what Shikamaru had no idea. We had gotten up and moved a corner of the room. He then pulled out a small piece of wrapped cloth and began to open it. Shikamaru's eyes opened up upon the sight of a brilliant silver ring with a tiny diamond in the middle.

"Naruto! Where the hell did you get that?" Shikamaru demanded albeit in a soft tone.

"I found it in Takigakure in one of the buildings. I saw a bunch of jewelry lying around a pile of debris. I sifted through some of it and then found this." He explained with a smile as he fiddled with it.

"It's a looted ring?"

"I know what you're thinking but it looked so brand new that it couldn't have possibly been worn by anyone! Please don't think of me as a thief Shikamaru. I know you wouldn't expect such a thing out of me but...well given what's been happening and what happened to Hinata I became more and more frightened of what might never be. Shikamaru, I...I one day am going to propose to her and ask her to be my wife when this war is over."

Shikamaru took a step back. "Marriage Naruto? I mean you're almost twenty-three! Are you sure about this?"

"More sure than I ever have been! I'm just a poor, orphan kid Shikamaru who doesn't have much going for him outside of this war and I could never afford such a beautiful ring for such a beautiful girl but I'll be damned if I wasn't sure about this one. I may be young but I know even at our age we can work it out together."

"What about her family Naruto? What will you do afterwards with a job and with money? You might be a little impulsive on this one."

"Her family doesn't seem to care much about her and the only close link she had died back on Hill 404. If she's willing to give the world to me then I wanna do the same. As for what we'll do afterwards...well shit I know it looks hasty but I know I can find something. I'll work day and night even if I make only change and it breaks my back, but that's what I'll do for her. I'm Naruto Uzumaki fer Chrissake! If I can attack a Sound StuG with just a satchel charge and a rifle and still survive...post-war life won't faze me one bit! Believe it..."

Shikamaru grinned. Once again, Naruto's can-do and never-say-die attitude could turn a potentially stupid move into something he could have full confidence in the young private doing. "All right buddy...I'll believe it. When the day comes and you need a hand, I'll be there for ya and so will Choji. When d'ya think you'll pop the question?"

Naruto's face turned from ambitious to nervous in a matter of seconds. "That's the problem. I don't know. I've seen the movies where there's always that special time and special place where romance is at its peak and all that freaky cosmic shit starts to apply. I hope something like that happens at just the right time."

"Well I'm sure when that moment comes you'll know it."

"Yeah…yeah I will."


	3. Chapter 3

"_When will that moment be, Shikamaru? You told me I'd know when it came, but would I really?_" Naruto had revealed no plans whatsoever, yet the small pouch in his pocket kept starkly reminding him. He stared at the sky, watching the brightest of stars start to reveal themselves. For that moment he was awestruck at the beauty. He felt as if he was melding with Hinata as one being. Normally things don't get this metaphysical for Naruto but stranger things have been known to happen. When Hinata rubbed her fingers on his hand, he snapped out of his trance. "Hinata, I never told you, but Iruka gave me a very important lesson when I was with you at the hospital."

"He…he did?"

"Yep. He told me that my time as a kid was drawing to a close. He told me that it was time I started to actually show that I was a man, to be a man for you and most importantly you. Remember that moment…that moment before we shipped off to the Grass Nation?"

"Yes…y-yes I believe I do."

"When we were together that night…I never felt anything like that before."

"That night…"

"It made me realize that we were indeed meant to be together…and as silly as it sounds, it made me feel like I was finally yours."

Hinata had been released by the hospital just the day before. She was a little sore and stiff, but she was able. In the morning, she had requested Naruto meet her in a small, secluded spot where the lights didn't touch. It was slightly breezy but mild outside, the crickets chirping to mask movement as lithe as someone like her. When she got to the place, it was dead silent, just as she wanted.

She waited patiently for him and sure enough, looking like he had thrown on his clothes in just a few seconds, he came shuffling over.

"Hinata…I got here…as fast as I could." He huffed and puffed out.

"Naruto, you're silly." Her soft hand glided across his face.

"So…what's up?" It was an awkward minute between the two of them before Hinata slowly approached him. "Hinata?"

She put both hands on his face. "Naruto…you were b-by my side the whole t-t-time. I, I heard you sssometimes w-when you talked to me." She pulled him in and pressed her soft lips on his. At first Naruto's lips reacted adversely mostly due to the surprise but soon enough he returned the favor. "Thank you."

"Hinata, that's what this was about? I mean, I love you Hinata. I'd always want to be by your side."

She didn't respond as she gently walked up to him and wrapped her arms around, kissing him again and again. He took his hands and rubbed her hips. She didn't wince in pain at all.

"You're, you're not hurting at all…are you?"

"No. Naruto…" He took a step back and watched her.

"Hinata?"

His eyes widened as Hinata took her hands to the bottom of her shirt and in one slow but fluid motion, took it off, revealing her body to him. "Naruto…I w-want you. I want you to be mine, and me yours."

He didn't know what to do. Here he was, staring at his love, beholding her smooth skin and her beautiful breasts. She took his hand and placed it on her chest. He squirmed feeling the surreal softness as his other hand almost instinctively placed itself on her other breasts. She moaned slightly feeling his touch. He took his shirt off and pulled Hinata in, feeling her body on his.

His breathing became nervous and shaky. "_Is this…is this really happening?_" Hinata calmed him by pressed her body even harder and closing his lips with hers. They felt their tongues touch each other and their hands moving all over their bodies. The soft grass felt slightly cold against their feet but they didn't care. Within ten minutes the two of them were already on the ground. Hinata lay on her back as Naruto's lips touched every inch of her body from her lips to her neck to her chest to her belly. She squirmed and gasped as she felt him touch her. She could feel her pants unbuttoning by Naruto' hands and soon felt the cold air on her legs and feet. Naruto kissed the sole of her foot and worked his lips to her toes. She melted as Naruto put each individual toe in his mouth and sensually tongue-whipped it. It felt strange for him, but slightly erotic seeing as every time it caused a pleasure-induced whimper from Hinata. Ceasing from that foreplay, he worked his way to her ankle, and right up her leg. She looked up to see Naruto staring right back at her. Naruto watched her hair spread out across the blades of grass, her skin gleam against the moon, and her face that bore a combination of nervousness and love.

"Naruto…"

"Yes Hinata?"

"I'm yours, t-take me."

He looked concerned. "This is…this is my first time Hinata."

"It's m-my f-first too."

While living with Iruka, Naruto would on occasion sneak into Iruka's secret stash of adult goods. As he continued to rub himself up against Hinata, he felt apprehensive. "_Man…the stuff Iruka had made this shit look easy when looking at it. I can't believe it. I'm about to make love to Hinata. God, do not let me screw up._"

He ran his hands down her body, searching for her spot and soon enough it was found. He felt his fingers…inside of her. He moved them around in ways that made Hinata groan and turn her head from side to side. He felt how wet she was, it felt good. It felt like heaven.

"Oh…unhnnn…Naruto…I want you…inside of me."

Hearing this rare kind of talk from Hinata surprised him. "Hi-Hinata." He said nothing else as he positioned himself directly parallel to her. He felt his member continuously press on Hinata's gap, as if he was probing. Soon he felt like he was in the right spot. With a little apprehension, he pushed and pushed. It felt like it was pulling on his skin but he kept at it. He could see Hinata close her eyes and open her mouth like she was gasping for air. He could feel the pain.

"Oh God…I'm not…hurting you am I Hinata?"

She squeezed his back in an effort to brace herself. "No…no I want this. I want you in me. I…I've wanted this, since we were younger. Please, keep going." She knew her body would hurt but this was what she wanted. She wanted to be this close to Naruto Uzumaki and now she had him.

"Hinata, I love you."

"Naruto, m-make love to me." He pushed himself inside again. She could feel her insides tear, but she didn't care. The pain was nothing compared to the ecstasy. She started moaning softly, something that turned Naruto on considerably.

His elbow pivoted on the ground as he aimed his head towards her chest and placed his lips on her right breast. He tingled on the inside as his tongue rolled across her nipple. Her right hand gripped his hair while her left played with her left breast, all the while taking in the back and forth thrusting of Naruto. She savored every single inch of him pressing into her.

When Naruto was done orally satisfying her breasts he forced his lips upon hers. She bit his lower lip and ran her tongue along his lower gum line. His hand gently squeezed her buttocks while she wrapped her legs around him pushing him in ever so much more. He had never felt this kind of rush, this kind of sensation. It felt so good to be penetrating her. He slid in and out, back and forth, just looking at Hinata who looked right back at him. He watched her mouth open in silent moans and her breasts shake ever so gently as he planted his palms into the grass. He tried a little swerving motion that sent Hinata over the top in pleasure. He got more aroused seeing her like this, like some lustful entity was taking him over. Hinata closed her eyes and grit her teeth trying to hold back the initial pain. "_This is it…this is what I was wanting. I'm with him. I'm with Naruto._"

"_Incredible…she's just…incredible. Oh Lord, this feeling…it's so good, she feels so good!_"

He turned her on her side and pushed himself back into her, the soft touch of her thighs and buttocks against his hips like a baby's. Turning to his side, his arms wrapped themselves around Hinata while he kept pushing and pushing. He could feel the sweat on her body and the trembling of her insides. It felt good…because he was making her feel good.

"Uhnn…uhn…uhnnnn…" She moaned over and over with his named interspersed between. "Oh God…it…feels…so deep."

"Hina…Hinata."

"It k-kinda…ohhhhh…hurts…b-but…hnnnnn…hnnnn…feels so good."

"Good."

"Naruto…" She pulled herself away, wincing as his shaft was out completely. "I want…to be on top."

"Ok." He felt the cool grass tickle his backside as Hinata positioned herself on top. He just smiled as if he was bearing witness to a goddess. She descended, curtaining Naruto's head with her dark and silky hair. Every follicle touched him in ways he didn't think was possible for the mind to comprehend. They kissed for what seem like forever as she gyrated her hip to grind on Naruto. He felt himself get harder and harder with every rub Hinata gave. "Oh God…Hinata. I want you so badly right now." He held himself in place as Hinata guided herself on him. A sharp but droning moan escaped her lips while he felt the warmth and wetness of her insides again.

She sat up feeling even more of him inside her. The feelings overcame her as she cocked her head back like she was staring into the stars. Naruto stared at her, all of her from her hips all the way to her delicate neck, as she rocked back and forth, grunting while taking all of Naruto in again. His hands reached up to her breasts and he delicately squeezed them. After a few minutes she looked back down at Naruto. He could tell she was still hurting a little bit, but it was fading.

"N-Naruto…hunhhhh…I love you." She whispered. Never did she even think that she'd actually be here sharing her body with her childhood love. She felt so happy, she felt so blissful. She started to tear just a bit.

"Hinata…are you…ohhhh…hurting?"

She shook her head. "No…just…just happy." She felt Naruto's hands grip her rear and gently push down, sending another influx of pleasure and stimuli into her brain and body. "Ohhhhh…Narutoooo…"

He sat up and the two of them traded tongues and lips. Back and forth they made passionate love under the cover of darkness for a good while. It was the sharing of their bodies, their hearts, their souls. They had never felt so in love with each other as the wind swept through them, masking their sounds and proclamations of love for one another. The two of them pumped themselves into one another, harder and faster, their mouths opening wider with louder volume.

Naruto rolled Hinata onto the ground and thrust himself in as deep as he could, the tip sending waves of sensitive feelings to the rest of his body. He just kept looking at her and holding her close. He brought his head down to her level, where his ear could absorb her moans of pleasure.

"Oh God…Hinata…I think I'm going to…"

"Harder…let me…feel you a little bit…more…"

He obliged. Holding it in as best as he could, he pushed and pushed and felt her grip tightening on him. He wouldn't let up though. Hinata kept moaning louder and louder.

"Hinata…ohhhh…mmmm…"

"Huuhnnnn…hhnnnn…Naru…to…oh God…oh God…oh God…Narutooooo!" She had reached her climax, loudly calling his name and unable to stop moaning as Naruto thrust into her as deep and hard as he could. The feeling of her orgasm overcame her…never had she felt so alive.

Unable to hold it any longer, he pulled himself out and reached his climax as well. He just lay there…on top of Hinata, panting heavily feeling the sweat on his chest rub against hers. They felt like animals who had unleashed their carnal desires in a flurry of passion and love.

Naruto could barely get a word out. "Hinata…that was…incredible."

"Naruto…I love you…so much."

"I love you too, more than…you'll ever know."

They lay there for another hour, their naked forms prostrate staring at the stars, realizing soon they'd have to get back to their bunks. Even if people suspected or found out, they didn't care one bit. Although it was a little tough to fully comprehend what had just transpired, the warmth they felt off of their bodies abated such musings. It was the true culmination of the hidden love they had for each other that was dormant for years. It was their moment. It was the crux of Naruto and Hinata becoming one.

"Seriously though…best…sex…ever." Naruto proclaimed.

"Naruto!" A light elbow jab in his side got him off-guard. "That was serious."

"I know…I know…" He rubbed his side to ease the slight pain. "_But damn if that wasn't awesome!_" He squeezed her shoulders. "If anything I'm glad I didn't hurt you. I was worried for a second but ya know…that whole time, I never really had an idea of perfection, but that moment…it gave me a good impression of what it might look like."

"Honestly…I-I didn't know what c-came over myself that night."

"Whatever it was…it was one of the greatest nights of our lives."

"It, it was." She flushed with red talking about sex, but inside she was all smiles. "_It was what I dreamed of, to be one with Naruto. I've never been happier._" And to think, just the mere act of making love sent her emotions through an all-time high.

"However…I still feel regret for not going after you sooner," He said to her levelly, "h_ad I known you'd be that great in sex of course!_"

"Again Naruto, st-stop feeling bad about that."

"You're right, we're in the present now and that's all that really matters."

The two continued to sit on the ruined vehicle, paying no mind to the chatter behind them. It was mostly Sakura making loud boasts to her fellow engineers or First Sergeant Guy riling people up while Captain Hatake just looked on. They just wanted to watch the sky and enjoy the relative calm they had sought for quite some time.

Hinata felt the need to break the silence after ten or so odd minutes. There was more to talk about. "Naruto…I f-find it so hard to believe that so m-much has changed…all in this time."

"Things…always change Hinata. Things…don't happen the way you expect them." His tone became solemn. His frowned as he inadvertently thought of one of the most painful moments of his life.

Hinata knew what he was talking about. She remembered the misery wrought upon him by the death of his mentor Captain Iruka Umino.

"Oh man…" Naruto paused for a second and Hinata noticed a little tear in his eye. "Gone…"

"I kn-know…I'm so sorry."

"I wanted you to get to know him better Hinata, when you and I officially were together."

"You t-told me Naruto. He, he was a good man. H-He was the one who helped us b-back at b-boot camp. He w-was the one who helped us f-from the brink of death."

Naruto couldn't fight back the tears much longer. "Why Hinata? Why do good people like Iruka have to die?" At the terrible scene of carnage known as the Battle of the Emerald Fields, Fox Company along with ANBU Rangers and the combined strength of Echo and Able Companies squared off against the terrifying Akatsuki Panzer Lehr led by Major Kisame Hoshigake. In the midst of the battle, Captain Umino's Pershing tank, the _Shinobi's Pride_, had come under the assault of the major's tank _Sharkskin_. Unfortunately Captain Umino was outgunned and overwhelmed, yet with persistence he had one last message for Naruto, something Naruto dwelled on in his head as he sat there with Hinata.

"_Naruto, I'm so proud of you. I did all I could and I wish I could've done more. You grew into quite the brave soldier. I thank God I knew such a fine person like you. I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you more. I'm sorry…I'm sorry I couldn't be like the father you wanted. I'm sorry it came to this. Naruto, you became more of a man than I could imagine. Please...before I go, do this one thing for me. Survive this terrible war Naruto. Go back home to Konoha. Take care of that Hyuga girl. Protect her because I know she'll protect you like I tried to. Have a wife and raise the family that you never got to have. Naruto, your father would be so proud of you. Goodbye…_"

Right before Naruto's eyes, the Akatsuki tanks destroyed the _Shinobi's Pride_ and everyone inside including Iruka. He felt as if a lead weight was tied to his heart and thrown to the bottom of the deepest lake. The tank burst into flames and shrapnel and he just knelt there, completely broken and defeated. Rage boiled inside as he nearly got into a scuffle with Tenten because she wouldn't give him her rocket launcher. It took three people to restrain him as he finally broke down and wailed for hours even after the battle. No one was going to tell him to stop, no one had that kind of audacity.

Hinata recalled when Neji was taken away from her so very early back in the Waterfall Nation. She knew what kind of pain he felt. She knew the loss of family, even if Iruka wasn't blood. It was very difficult trying to comfort him. When Neji had died she requested to be left alone to grieve, Tenten eventually joining her in sorrow, but with Naruto, he couldn't be left alone. He needed someone.

She was there though. She did as best as she could to comfort Naruto along with his friends Shikamaru and Choji. He told them all of his past, something he had never fully revealed. For the longest time they, including Hinata, had wondered who Iruka Umino really was and why he was so important to him. Hinata always knew he was an orphan with a rough past, but never someone who actually acted as a father to him. He took Naruto in when he was only nine. He gave him a home, food, and most importantly, a guardian. He taught Naruto how to be a man and how to never quit no matter the odds. When she heard all this, she cried as well. She knew she could never replace the role Iruka had for him but she wanted to be the pillar for him to lean on.

Despite his overwhelming grief, he loved Hinata more for everything she did. As strange as it sounded at first, he finally understood why Iruka had continuously suggested helping and supporting Hinata throughout the years. Iruka knew that Hinata loved him and that he wanted to try to instill a sense of friendship and dedication to her. He knew that Hinata would be the woman for Naruto. Everything made sense all of a sudden.

"Survive the war he said. It's…it's as if he knew he wasn't going to live through it. It was as if he had fulfilled his purpose protecting and teaching me. And yet, he also had a feeling that, I'd finally figure out the love you had and still have for me and that we'd be right here, together."

"_He told him to take care of me…raise a family…the family Naruto never had. But he said something about his father. Who was Naruto's father?_" That last thought really dwelled in Hinata's brain. For Naruto, it was secondary compared to the role Iruka played. "_Was there something that, that Captain Umino knew that he didn't? Is there something Captain Hatake knows that Naruto doesn't?_" Something clicked in the back of Hinata's mind. She remembered the history class and Naruto reading the vignette. There was a picture…a rather old one that lacked color but one nonetheless. The man…the man with the serious look and the Great War uniform on, he looked so scarily familiar. "_That person, the war hero…could he have been…? No…probably not._"

She then felt something hit her shoulder, like a raindrop, but the sky was as clear as could be. It was Naruto. He was crying.

"Iruka…it isn't fair." He sobbed out. "I…I wanted him to be around, to be back in Konoha with us."

There wasn't much she could say in reply but she said what she felt would fit. "He p-protected us Naruto. I think he knew."

"Kn-knew what?"

"I think yo-you're right. I th-think he did ffffeel something that inv-volved you and me. He was as you s-said, a guardian. Every time we were f-facing disaster, Captain Umi-Umino was there. He g-gave his life to protect us, to pr-protect you. He w-wanted you to live to have…what you never had as a ch-ch-child."

"_A wife and a family…Hinata…if only I could tell you now. It's just…it's just not the right moment._" He nervously reached into his pocket and rubbed the pouch containing his ring. It had started to be a little bit of a nervous habit, only a few like Shikamaru and Shino ever really noticing. He was dying for that moment, that moment to ask her, but every time he would second-guess himself and hesitate, the moment ruined or just never existing to begin with and simply teasing Naruto when he recalled the pep talk Shikamaru gave him. "_Shikamaru…you smartass. Thanks for fucking with my mind._"

"Naruto?"

"Yes, Hinata?"

"The stars…look at them."

Naruto had stopped welling up and finally taken the time to look at them, almost unaware of how much time had actually passed. Darkness had fallen finally and the two of them were still there, completely unbothered. "My God…"

"They're s-so beautiful."

He sniffed as his train of thought remained on the pain and joy of what had come to pass. "That they are…it's as if they came out for you and me."

They spent the next half-hour just gazing at the heavens. Naruto remained pensive however.

"Hinata?"

"Yes?"

"Ya think Iruka's up there…looking at us and satisfied?"

She smiled and nuzzled herself up to his chest. "I do, Naruto."

"That's what I thought. I love you Hinata."

"I love you too, Naruto." The two of them shared a tender kiss before going back to stargazing.

The rain poured on the ruined city, steam still spewing from the ruined craters and burning debris littered the streets, some of it not just concrete and wood, but also people. The battle to take the city of Kusagakure was tough, but the aftermath, Lord the aftermath was even worse. The Sound had unleash the Vengeance rockets upon the town and many other parts of the land. Some had gone so far as to hit the Water Kingdom and Konoha. The devastation was surreal, something only heavy aerial bombing could accomplish but here these rockets did the same thing. Word had just come to the Leaf soldiers…the Hokage was dead, killed by the Vengeance rockets. The Sound had struck a terrible blow, some feeling it deeper than others. Staff Sergeant Sarutobi had lost his father, Private Konohamaru his grandfather, and Private Ino Yamanaka…her parents.

There, a call was made to fight back. In conjunction with the Water Airborne, several assault missions would be conducted behind enemy lines in the dreaded Rain Nation, a nation that many Great War veterans spoke of and revile to this day. It was to be a glider insertion mission with platoon-sized elements attacking the rocket bases spotted all over the God-forsaken country. Many answered and many were eager, but some weren't. Naruto had learned that Sergeant Sarutobi of 3rd squad had volunteered and almost on a whim, his squad leader, Sergeant Mitarashi, had opted to join him. Naruto felt a lump the size of his fist form in his throat. The worst part was…Hinata was too busy treating the wounded to learn of it first-hand. He had to tell her. The reaction…was less than desired.

"Hinata…you've probably heard…"

"About the W-Water mission…yeah…I h-hope none of our fr-friends are going."

"Yeah…well Hinata…Sergeant Sarutobi of 3rd volunteered."

"What?" She was dumbfounded. "He v-v-vol-volunteered?"

"Yep." The next part was the hardest to say. "Hinata…my sergeant…also volunteered."

Everything went dead for a few seconds. Hinata tried to absorb what Naruto just said. "No…no no no…NO!" She defiantly albeit impulsively said.

"I'm sorry, Hinata. I don't want it either…but…orders are orders."

"No…can't th-they switch out?"

"I'm sorry…but they can't. I gotta go Hinata. The truck leaves in just several hours."

"You…you can't go!" She punched him rather feebly, but the anger was still felt. "I d-d-don't want you t-to! Don't d-do this to m-m-mmmme Naruto!" Again she punched him and tried to exert her anger at him but just broke down. Even if she was in front of others she broke down and cried. Naruto pulled her in and let her weep on his chest.

"Hinata…I'm so sorry. I'll be all right though. I promise. Naruto Uzumaki makes good on his promises…believe it."

"D-Don't go…I've hhheard t-terrible things of that pla-place."

"I know…Iruka once told me of there. But I can't abandon my squad Hinata. As much as it pains me, I can't shirk my duty." He stepped back and flicked his hair in a rather suave manner. "Besides…it's Private First Class Naruto Uzumaki you're talkin' to, a natural war hero in the makin'! I'll be damned if I let some Sound punks make me not return to you safe and sound." With a wink and a smile, his act of bravado managed to get Hinata to stop crying so hard. That of course didn't stop her from shedding tears.

"Please Naruto…I d-don't want you h-hurt."

He stroked her head and kissed the top of it. "Don't you worry babe…I'll be all right. I won't leave you hangin'. We'll get back home A OK."

"Naruto."

The two of them found a secluded house while everyone else was hustling around. Small chunks of the wall were cracked off but very obscured to the untrained eye. There was a bed there and broken furniture all around but most important to them was the intact ceiling above their heads.

"Naruto, there's t-too many people around." She complained as the rain poured outside.

"Nah…the rain'll cover us for a little bit." He ran his hand across her cheek. "Hey…I just want to be alone with you a little while…that's all."

"Hnn…" She muttered. Naruto went in for a peck on the lips. After about ten seconds of staring at him, she lunged forward and kissed him. Soon enough it was as if their lips were locked together. Naruto could feel her tongue circling around his mouth, and he liked that.

The two of them leaned towards the bed and fell on it with a rather soft impact. The creaky springs and cracks of the bed frame were completely masked by the rainstorm outside. The lack of light made it perfect for Naruto as he slipped his hands through Hinata's uniform and brushed her tender hips with it. Soon enough as she lay there before him while he was furiously kissing her one of his hands crawled up her shirt and onto her breast. There he rolled her nipple and gently squeezed it, getting some sharp exhales out of her.

"Hinata, I want you right now."

"Mmmmm…Naruto."

"I wanna make love to you again."

There was no reply. She just simply acknowledged it since it was exactly how she felt. While she took off her shirt, but putting her jacket back on because of the cold, Naruto wasted no time doing the same. Her pants were pulled down to her ankles and she could feel him on her back. They lay on their sides as she craned her neck to kiss him more. Naruto's hands were busy caressing her breasts or feeling her up down south. He took his fingers and rubbed on her privates in all sorts of directions. He loved the way it felt and the way she reacted from it. It was almost as good as when he would get a taste of it himself and let his tongue set her mind on fire.

Hinata meanwhile helped Naruto's hands do their work. She felt dirty at times but knowing it was Naruto Uzumaki pleasuring her, such feelings quickly vanished. She pushed Naruto's fingers deeper inside her, eliciting a loud whimper. "Ohhhhhh…" She moaned. "Sssoooo good." It no longer hurt for her. All that was left was sensory ecstasy.

"Hinata." Once fully aroused, which with Hinata didn't take very long, he acted quickly and from the back pushed himself in, the foreplay providing just what he needed for a smooth transition. "Uhhnnnn…" He groaned as he was hit with the sudden onslaught of warmth and sensation being inside Hinata. He slid back and forth letting Hinata's buttocks gently press on and off his pelvis.

"Hnnn…hnnnn...ohhhh…uhnnnnn…mmmmm…mmmmm…" It was all Hinata could say as she felt Naruto penetrating her ever so deep. She could feel the tip of him all the way up to her kidneys.

For the next fifteen minutes or so, all that was coming from their mouths were soft moans and grunts. They tuned everything else out save for the rain and made this their moment again. Sure they were slightly dirty and a little sweaty, but they didn't care one bit. Naruto would soon be off to the Water Airborne camp and he wanted to give his Hinata for one last time until he returned…all of his love.

His arms grasped around her in a tight embrace, her soft hair and backside all he could see in front of him. He took his hand and glided it up and down Hinata's neck. She in turn nibbled on his finger and grabbed his thigh. With as much strength as she could muster she pushed him in just that little bit more, a low groan emitting from her lips.

"Naruto, hold on…" She rolled over on her back and lay there in front of him. "Just like our first…"

He got the message loud and clear. It was a little stifling with their pants rolled down but he still managed. With their jackets covering them, Naruto could barely see his love but he could hear and feel her, which compensated quite nicely. He felt the cold moisture from the rain and the slight wind against his bare skin, but the warmth he and Hinata shared made the impact of the elements a mere trifle.

The two of them passionately went at it for another half-hour. They kept it somewhat quiet even with the rain. Suddenly, Naruto stopped for a second.

"N-Naruto?"

He turned to one of the cracks and then looked back at her. "Nothing…it was nothing." He then went back at it, thrusting himself with such force Hinata had to arch her back, exposing her neck which Naruto assaulted with licks and nips, then working down to her breasts with his tongue.

He then used his left arm to grab a hold of her hip and with gentle force, as oxymoronic as it sounded, pushed as far in as possible.

"OHHHHHHhhhhhhhh…!" She groaned. That hit the spot for her. "UHHHHnnnnnn…!" She groaned again as Naruto repeated his move over and over. She gripped the bed as tightly as she could, her insides melting like butter. She was almost at her peak. "Naru…to! Keep…GOING! Oh God…"

Naruto obliged doing the same hard motion again and again. Each time her moans got louder and the sweat beaded all over her body. He just kept at it, closing his eyes and letting the sound of her voice penetrate his mind. The groans and moans were audio ecstasy to him as was the feeling of her body both within and without. With one last push, she let out a massive sigh and seemingly collapsed. Naruto had pulled out and let himself calm down as he too reached his limit.

The next five minutes was just the two of them, lying together with their bodies still close. Hinata smiled at Naruto, but then she couldn't fight back the sudden tears that emerged.

Naruto felt the wetness. "Hinata…I'm so sorry. I'm as scared as you are. You don't see it but I hope you can feel it."

"I d-don't w-w-want to lose you. I w-want to be there."

"Hinata, stay here. This mission is no place for a woman like you. I would not want you subjected to this."

She sobbed a little more as Naruto wiped the salty tears from her face. "Please…"

"I'll be ok though. I swear to you I'll be back for you."

"Yo-you promise?"

He grasped her hand firmly, massaging her fingers and feeling where one day he'd put that ring on her finger and fulfill what Iruka wanted. "Promise of a lifetime, Hinata. I love you."

"Naruto…I love you so much."

He took a look outside, the rain had picked up in ferocity, the wind howling against the cracks of the broken walls. "A big storm's coming Hinata…"

"Naru…"

_BOOOOOM!_ The thunder clapped with deafening volume. Startled, she rose from her cot and tried to calm herself down, her heart beating a mile a minute.

"It's ok…it's ok…just the th-thunder." She repeated to herself with an inside voice. Most of the other medics were asleep except for the ones on watch. Kiba and Shino were fast asleep and Sergeant Uchiha, or Sasuke to his peers, kept nodding off oblivious to the activities of the rest of the squad.

She rubbed her head trying to get the pain out. It didn't do much but luckily as a medic she had a couple analgesic pills with her. Fumbling around she tore the paper packet open and swallowed them right down with a good-sized swig from her canteen. Shuffling to the broken section of wall, she gazed outside towards the rain which fell like bullets. A couple raindrops here and there would smack her on the head but she paid no mind to it.

Another flash of lightning emerged. As a kid, Hinata always heard that with every second you count, that's how far the lightning was in miles. It wasn't exactly accurate but it was a little habit she had picked up.

"One…t-two…thr…" A low rumble turned into a bigger roar. It didn't phase her this time. She had been through far worse, with sounds that would scare her a lot more than simple thunder.

The rain. The miserable rain. Just the sight of it made her painfully remember just what was going on, and the accursed land that was involved. It had been a week since he left her for that mission. She remembered being with him one last time as the truck was ready to leave. She reached towards her collar and felt the missing necklace, the same one Naruto had given her months past. He said it was for good luck and that somehow whenever he or someone close to him had it they'd come out all right. She gave it back to him, thinking it just might do as he had boasted in that dreadful Rain Nation.

One week, one miserable and eternal week. The gliders had already taken off and with them Naruto and his comrades towards one of the more secluded rocket bases. For Naruto, Hinata felt it wasn't as long given all his training, but for her it felt like torture. Another thunderclap echoed throughout Kusagakure and the wind picked up, smacking Hinata in the face with pellets of rain. She remembered the truck leaving, her just standing there, watching the love of her life be driven off. What killed her the most was the outright lack of communication. Did he make it to the base? Did he get hurt? Did he get shot down? Is he still ok? All she had was the faith in his ability to get out of the toughest of situations. She believed in Naruto, she always did, but that didn't spare her from the sorrow of his absence and the grim realities of this war they fought. She opened up her pocket and pulled out a piece of paper, a worn, thin, but oh so familiar paper, the note he left from boot camp, the one that she truly believed made her feel that he actually cared for her. She read the words aloud but could barely get to the end as she started to choke on the words. All the memories, the heartbreaks, the tragedies, the joys, and the moments of laughter, all of them culminated into one mental haymaker that sent her into an absolutely sullen state. Tears ran down her face like rivulets, mixing with the rain but the saline taste all too familiar. No one had noticed her, no one had heard her, she was all alone in her misery.

Her heart sank as she could no longer feel his warmth. Instead she was left by herself and he was placed in the cruelest of lands. Lord knew what danger and horror awaited him and all Hinata could do was pray to the heavens for his safe return.

"Naruto…why? Wh-why did you ha-have to go? N-Naruto. I love you…"

She continued to stare at the heavens above, the angry heavens with their dark clouds. Lighting flashed and thunder roared all over, but she continued to watch, hoping that someone or something above would safely bring her love back to her in one piece."

"Please…Naruto…"


End file.
